


Knights of Cydonia

by alexmcelwee



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Demi God AU, F/F, Soulmates, child of hades clarke, not sure on all the pairings yet
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-22
Updated: 2018-01-25
Packaged: 2018-05-22 16:27:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 11
Words: 37,348
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6086667
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alexmcelwee/pseuds/alexmcelwee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What do you get when you add a vengeful god of corruption, brainwashed adults, 2 half demons and your favorite gays?<br/>...<br/>Nothing good I suppose.<br/>Annabeth Chase will never forgive them for destroying Mount Olympus.<br/>OR<br/>The demi god AU no one asked for, featuring child of Hades Clarke Griffin, still alive Anya and Gustus and no one committing genocide... yet</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Dying Ghost

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The beginning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> an idea that's been bouncing around my head. hope you like it!

The wind whistled through the trees, scattering leaves across the ground as footsteps could be heard stomping up the beaten path to the cabins. A blonde haired girl quickly walked the all too familiar route, blue eyes staring straight ahead, a determined look on her face. Her long black coat swishing around her ankles, giving her more confidence in her steps. But a brown haired girl with a slight limp came around the bend just as quick, approaching the blonde with a devilish smile.

Without even looking over at the other girl, the blonde just says “No, Raven.” and continues walking. The smile falls from Raven’s face as she continues to follow after the blonde. 

“But why not,Clarke?” She asks, disgruntled.

It was a good plan, she was sure of it. Clarke stops suddenly, turning to the other girl. 

“Because,” the blonde said, frustratedly pinching the bridge of her nose. “Pranking the Aries cabin will not only get us in trouble, but get us fucking killed.” Raven opens her mouth to retort but is cut off by a raised hand of Clarke’s. “And yes, I know, Murphy is an asshole. But that doesn’t mean it’s a good idea to get the whole cabin to hate us.” 

“Fine, fine.” Raven pouts, crossing her arms across her chest and leaning on her good leg. “But we all know who really runs this camp, Griffin.” The dark haired girl smirks before heading off towards the small factory like building of Cabin Nine.

“Yeah, yeah.” Clarke grumbles towards the back of the retreating girl before heading towards her own cabin. 

Clarke Griffin would never admit to caring about the rest of the campers at Camp Half Blood. And the rest of the campers would never admit to turning to her for guidance before their own camp director, Jaha. But, that’s just how it worked now a days.  
She was an oddity.  
The only child of Hades since Nico Di’Angelo certainly gained her some street cred, but also having his brooding skills and the ability to raise the dead made sure the other campers gave her a wide berth.  
It also didn’t help that she lived in a “fucking vampire crypt” as the blonde referred to it. 

Cabin Thirteen is a windowless cabin made of solid obsidian. 

“First of all,” Clarke would say. “Who makes a cabin with no windows? As if the outside isn’t bad enough with the giant columns spewing greek fire or the fucking skull over the door. It’s real by the way, I checked. Then the inside is even worse!”  
At this point, if Raven was any where near the current rant zone that was Clarke Griffin, the dark haired girl would scoff and say; “Was worse, Griffin. Was worse.” 

Cabin Thirteen used to come standard with coffin beds with mahogany frames, brass railings and blood red blankets and pillows. And Clarke after a year, being of sound mind and not a vampire decided that wasn’t going to work.  
First it just started out as simple renovations. Get some blue sheets, burn the red ones in sacrifice to your father, that sort of thing. (Raven remembers officially meeting Clarke that night, the tiny blonde, who barely spoke to anyone for a year was now burning sheets in the middle of the training field. Naturally, the dark haired girl had to approach this girl. Just in time to see her do the ‘i’m watching you’ signal to the rising smoke in the sky saying “These better not come back, Dad.” They’ve been best friends ever since.)  
When Raven started to help with the remodel, that’s when things got interesting. The mechanic had so many ideas, some good and some bad. But it couldn’t be done on their own. So, the blonde stomped over to the nearest place to make an IRIS message and called up her dad. Yes, Clarke Griffin, at the age of 14 called the god of the underworld to help fix her room. And damn, did she make sure he followed through. 

“Hi, Dad.” She had said when the image appeared. The god was so shocked at the audacity of this kid he could barely sputter out a response. So Clarke just continued. “I’m calling to inquire about the absolute disgrace that is our cabin at Camp Half Blood.” The blonde crossed her arms, titled her head and waited for her dad to respond, but when only a surprised “What?” escaped his lips, the blonde continued, impassioned. 

“Dad!” She yelled, throwing her arms up into the air make Hades flinch at the volume. “They’re making me live in a freaking vampire crypt! I sleep in a coffin! A COFFIN, DAD!” 

The god raised his hands, trying to placate the situation best he could, before a memory passed his mind.  
“Wait, are you the one that burned the sheets in sacrifice to me?” He asked, slightly in awe, slightly worried about what this small child would grow into.  
Clarke nodded aggressively, never losing the determined glare on her face. So Hades sat back in his chair and looked the kid up and down. That fierce anger, that’s me. He thought. But damn that determined glare is all, Abby. 

“I will go to Uncle Zeus about this if I have to, Dad.” The small blonde threatened.

And at that, the god of the underworld burst out laughing. If Raven hadn’t been there herself she never would have believed it, but there it was, right in front of her. The god of the underworld had tears streaming down his eyes from laughter, holding his chest with one hand and gripping his throne with the other. And Clarke didn’t even bat an eyelash at the display! Just stood there with her arms crossed, glaring at her father with barely contained annoyance.

When he finally calmed down enough to speak he said, “I like you kid, draw me up some design plans and i’ll see what I can do.” And at that, Clarke’s arms dropped and a smile spread across her face like wild fire. Giving one excited jump, she yelled, “Thanks Dad! I’ll call you in a week!” And the message fizzled out like it had never happened. But, not only did he follow through with Clarke and Ravens design plans; which included real people beds, a change in the color scheme from black and red to shades of blue and black. There was still some red here but not the unholy amount there was before. Also an art corner for Clarke, complete with an enchanted never ending supply of paper and pencils.  
What was even more amazing was that he personally showed up on the last day of construction! 

He was waiting inside the cabin, unknown to everyone else, when the two girls finally went in to see the finished product. They both screamed when he announced his presence, but after an awkward “Hello sir, i’m gonna just… leave you two alone.” Raven left the cabin and the two talked for a little over an hour and when Clarke came out again she had a scary looking black sword strapped to her back and a new watch on her wrist. Raven eyed the sword wearily, but Clarke just shrugged saying, “He said it belonged to a brother of mine and that I should have it.” 

“And the watch?” Raven asked, taking the blonde’s arm in her hand to examine the new piece of tech. A sad smile crossed the girl's lips before whispering, 

“He gets lonely when Persephone isn’t there with him and could use someone to talk to from time to time. I’m his only kid and all right now so.” But before Raven could even get out her ‘aww’, Clarke grabbed her arm saying she hadn’t even seen the best part, and dragged her into the cabin pointing up excitedly and when Raven looked up, the ceiling was filled with stars. Clarke’s own personal enchanted planetarium…  
“Your dad’s a real sap you know that right?”  
“Oh, shut up.” 

***

It was going to be the biggest find of the century. Getting the location from an oracle was genius, and Cage was all about genius. Who better to be a paleontologist than a demi god with connections, baby? This son of Nike was doing alright for a minor gods kid. Cage was broken out of his thoughts when a cry of excitement bounced across the cave walls. 

“I found something!” One of the dig site workers yelled. 

They quickly excavated their findings and raised them out of the dig site for Cage to take a look. It was an obsidian box, with no way in or out. Cage walked around it in confusion, hoping staring it down will unlock the answers for him. It didn’t. He looked to one of the technicians in confusion. 

“Our scans indicate there’s something in there but there’s no way of opening it.” The tech said, showing Cage the scan. He hummed in thought, holding his chin in his hand. 

It took them 4 days to get the box open without damaging whatever was inside, and today was finally the big reveal. The arrogant man was pacing back and forth in front of the box, waiting for the final get go to open it. And when it came, Cage leapt at the opportunity. Pushing back the lid with a manic smile, only for confusion to flit across his expression when he found a perfectly preserved female body, in a tight red dress. A surprised yelp escaped his lips and he fell back, when the woman opened her eyes and said,  
“Hello, demigod”  
Cage’s eyes widened as he could feel her words slink through his head like sand in an hourglass. He stared at the woman as she calmly and gracefully stepped out of the coffin and walked towards him. Leaning down, her eyes boring into his the mysterious woman said,  
“Are you ready to destroy the gods of Olympus?” 

***

Adam was the first one to disappear. 

The son of Hermes’s girlfriend, Claire, came knocking on Clarke’s door late one night. Claire was a daughter of Aphrodite, with long brown hair and piercing brown eyes, and the blonde honestly didn’t know how Adam even got a girl like her to look at him, much less date him but here they were. The girl had tears in her eyes while explaining to the blonde how she thought Adam was missing. Clarke tried to push it off as him being a boy and falling asleep in the woods or something but Claire just knew something was wrong and was determined to get the child of Hades help. So Clarke gathered a team and sent them out in search of the missing boy, and to report back in the morning. 

They found nothing. 

Clarke laid back on her bed, head propped against the pillow, hands behind her head, as she watched the stars shift across the ceiling of her cabin. This isn’t looking good, Clarke thought frustratedly. Ya know, maybe I could get just one year where nothing tragic happens? Just one?.. No? Yeah, didn’t think so.  
She raised her right arm to her face, and tapped the screen of her watch, watching the ripples move across it’s face. “Hades, please.” She said into it. It was an enchanted watch her father had given to her as a present when she first met him. Her own personal IRIS communicator. She really only used to to talk to him, but it came in handy in more than one occasion. The watch rippled as the worn face of her father appeared, busy in his work. His shirt collar looked rumpled probably from adjusting his tie so often out of stress. His short dirty blonde hair was peppered with grays and when he finally looked up, his blue eyes looked exhausted. 

“Business or pleasure, Clarke?” He asked, his eyes crinkling with a slight smile. 

The blonde knew she was lucky to have such a close relationship with her godly parent, it was unprecedented in any age but Hades claimed he was “trying something different with this one” and he assured it was going very well, but she still sighed heavily at the question. “Business, unfortunately.” The blonde said dejectedly, running her free hand through her hair. The god frowned slightly, his face growing serious. “What’s going on, kid?” Clarke let out a breath before answering her father, the weight of responsibility pressing into her shoulders like a lead ton.  
“Has a kid named, Adam Arker been registered down there? He seems to be missing, he just disappeared and his girlfriend all but begged me to help find him and-” She was cut off by a slight chuckle from her father’s end.  
“She pretty?”  
“Oh yeah.”  
“I understand now.”  
Clarke glared at her father’s question, but continued on.  
“So has he been registered down there or not?” The blonde asked, hoping for the latter. Hades sighed, his eyes somehow getting more tired looking as his hands reached up to massage his temples.  
“Honestly, Clarke. We’ve been very behind on registration so if he died recently I wouldn’t have his paperwork yet.” The girl blew out air, resigning to the trip she would have to take today.

“Alright,” she said, nodding her head. “I guess i’ll be paying you a visit today to look around the Fields of Asphodel.” Her father nodded, telling her he would send the transport to pick her up in an hour. The transport was actually Raven’s idea. Instead of doing some ritual or finding an annoying entrance to the underworld, Raven suggested a fast transport for people like Clarke who just needed to visit. Raven and Hades also decided it would be hilarious if it was an elevator, so the transport was born. Controlled by only Hades himself and only played AC/DC. Clarke was about to close the connection when her father said, “Ah Clarke, make sure to come see me. That order you asked for is done and i’d like to give it to you myself.” The girl smiled at her dad and nodded, “See you soon!” and closed the connection on the watch. 

Clarke stood from the bed, the springs squeaking in protest. She looked around the room, she loved her cabin dearly, it was home even if it had no fucking windows. She slipped into a pair of black skinny jeans and laced up her steel toed combat boots. Her motto was, hey if you’re gonna kick someone it may as well hurt like shit. She threw on a black tank top and buttoned up a dark blue and black flannel, she started to roll the sleeves up to her elbows but stopped as her gaze fell to her open closet door. Setting the sleeves back down, she walked over to the closet and fully opened it. Inside hung a few button down shirts, some more flannels, and a blue leather jacket that she grew out of but kept for sentimental reasons. She pushed those aside and dragged the last hanger forward. The black long coat hung impressively from its hanger, giving off a feeling of intimidation to most, but not to Clarke. She ran her calloused hand down the tough material, fingers playing with the metal clasps around the waist. A sense of calm spread through her as she further examined the coat. A metal plate was attached across the right shoulder, with black sleeves running down like rivers. On the back of the jacket, across the shoulders, an infinity symbol was etched into the material, like a badge of honor. Clarke grabbed the coat and put it on, the familiar weight laying on her shoulders. Silent support from a source far away. 4 years she has had this coat, and even after 4 years it never failed to make her feel stronger. The coats original owner flashed in her mind, but she quickly pushed it down.  
It’s been four years, she thought. She probably doesn’t even remember me.  
She didn’t bother with the clasps yet, she usually wore it open unless she was going into an intense battle or she needed to intimidate someone.  
She strapped her 3 foot long black stygian iron sword to her back with a click. She had nothing to really fear from the souls in the Fields of Asphodel but the sword made her feel more secure. It could also banish souls so, that helped. 

She was just adjusting her swords placement when the door to her cabin banged open, rattling on its hinges. And in walked Raven. Clarke loved the girl, they’d been friends since they were 13 and she’d do anything for her but seriously!  
“Can you ever just walk into a room like a normal person, Reyes?” The blonde said in faked frustration. The mechanic just scoffed and jumped onto what she dubbed as ‘her’ bed long ago. 

“What can I say, I just have to make an entrance.” The dark haired girl laughed to herself about gods know what while she settled in and started messing with her brace. 

“How did your chat with Daddy Deadest go?” Raven paused, looking Clarke’s choice of outfit up and down. “Obviously, not that good if you’ve got heeeeer jacket on” Raven mocked, peering up from her adjustments. Clarke ignored the mocking easily, she was beyond used to the mechanics (in her opinion) lacking sense of humor.  
“You know he doesn’t like it when you call him that,” Clarke responded, crossing her arms. The mechanic just smirked and leaned back on the bed again. 

“Your dad loves me, Griffin. And he loves my nicknames.” 

“Yes because he really loves H Man, Under G and Jake.” Clarke stops, for a second, looking over to Raven with a confused expression. 

“Where did you even get Jake from?” 

The dark haired girl just shrugged, “I don’t know, he just looks like a Jake.” The blonde shook her head in exasperation,her right hand lifting to pinch the bridge of her nose.

“It didn’t go awfully,” Clarke said, getting back on topic. “But, they’re really behind in paperwork right now so anyone new wouldn’t be processed yet. So i’m heading down there soon to take a look around. Hopefully I don’t find Adam.” Raven nodded solemnly to Clarke’s hopes but didn’t feel very hopeful about it herself. 

“And no,” Clarke started, “You can’t come.” 

The mechanic sank dejectedly into the sheets on the bed. “Awwww, come on Griffin. I wanna see Papa G!” 

“First of all,” The blonde stated, counting the reasons on her fingers. “His last name isn’t even Griffin.” Clarke could hear the other girl grumble ‘it might as well be’ under her breath but she ignored her.  
“Second, you need to stay here just in case Claire needs someone”  
Raven muttered ‘glorified baby sitter’  
“And last but not least, I need someone to cover with Jaha for me.” The blonde spit out quickly before sprinting out of her cabin, a surprised Raven stumbling after her. “GRIFFIN!” She yelled after the retreating blonde, watching her coat swish out as she ran.  
“You’ll never catch me, Limpy!” Clarke retorted, sprinting away.  
“Hey!” The mechanic screamed, shaking a fist in the air.  
“Be good! Stay out of trouble!” The blonde yelled, over her shoulder, a smirk on her lips.  
“Fuck you, Griffin!”  
“In your dreams, Reyes!” 

‘Yeah, right’ Raven scoffed to herself, walking back to cabin thirteen. ‘It was just that one time.’ 

***

Octavia Shepard knew a few things for certain in her life. One: That she had a brother. But doesn’t know where he is, or even if he’s alive. Two: That literally any place in the world is nicer than Tartarus. But she wouldn’t know for sure because she’s never been anyplace else. And Three: This may be her only chance to escape. 

Sure, having your mother be the fury of unrelenting anger isn’t the worst thing that a person, er, half demon, could live with but it certainly isn’t the best. Plus, being a secret made it a tad bit harder. Octavia lived under the floorboards of their house for the first 16 years of her life because if the other demons found a half human in their midst, she would be killed in seconds. Or at least that’s what her mother told her but the dark haired girl wasn’t too convinced. 

Her mother, Megaera, had gotten her brother out of this pit, gods know why, by using a favor that Hermes owed her. But,It didn’t go so well for the younger sister. With no favors left, Octavia was stuck.  
But today, something was happening, something big. Something distracting. Octavia could hear snatches of conversation from outside. Something about corruption? And joining forces with something called the Reapers? But the girl couldn’t make any sense of the information so at the first chance Octavia got, she broke the latch to her underground prison. Grabbing what little she had, which was basically only a change of clothes and shoving into an old burlap backpack they had and making for the window. Quickly opening the latch and jumping out, she landed on the sooty ground of Tartarus. With no idea where to go she just ran, and ran, and ran. 

Until she smashed, full speed, face first, into an 8 foot tall metal box that was sticking out of the sooty earth. The dark haired girl fell back onto the ground, dazed and confused about this appearing metal contraption. It dinged and opened its doors, causing Octavia to yell in fear. But the box did nothing but stand there, doors open, waiting. So, she stepped in, and the doors closed behind her. Not knowing where this strange contraption would take her, but it was certainly better than here. 

***

If Clarke could use one word to describe the Underworld it would be… dreary. Everything was a shade of grey or black and the artist in her was just infuriated by the total lack of this place’s color palette. But she was used to it by now, after visiting her father periodically for the past 6 years you can get used to a place. 

The Fields of Asphodel is always the dreariest of the dreary though, just a bunch of spirits aimlessly wondering. Waiting to be processed so that maybe they can move on from this place. It was useless for the blonde to walk around looking for Adam because of her sword, and being a daughter of Hades, the ghosts in this place gave her a wide berth. So she just took to the old fashion way, screaming Adams name at the top of her lungs. The spirits would look around at each other, like they would totally know who she was looking for but would just shake their heads. Unfortunately, it didn’t take long for a response to be heard. 

“Cl-rk-e?!” A voice called out to the crowd like a bad radio connection. The spirits all back away, revealing Adam on the other side of the field looking sickly and pale. Clarke cautiously approached the specter. Something wasn’t…. right about Adam. He was flickering in and out like a candle fighting against the wind. His eyes were filled with pain and when he opened his mouth to talk, nothing came out. “Adam, please, what happened? Claire is so upset, I don’t know what to do. What happened?” Clarke asks in a desperate attempt to get answers from what she already knows deep down is a lost cause. At the mention of Claire, Adam’s face contorts into a mask of desolation. He tries to open his mouth again, but still nothing. 

Clarke’s about to start trying to shake some answers out of him when the fucking transport shoots out of the ground 3 feet from them! The machine emits an inappropriately cheerful ding! and the doors shoot open to reveal… a girl who looks like she hasn’t showered in a year. The girl steps out and the doors slam close behind her, and then the transport is gone. 

“Who the fuck are you, and what are you doing in my elevator?” Clarke asks the dirty girl in disbelief. 

Octavia’s eyes widen in fear as she stares at the blonde girl. She’s never seen a human before, it’s… shocking to say the least. But what really trips her up, is the sword strapped onto the girl’s back. Maybe the girl with the terrifying sword can help me get out of here….yeah this is a bad plan. Octavia thinks before sputtering out, 

“I-I’m Octavia. And I need your help.I-I need to get out of here.” 

Clarke continues to stare down Octavia until she’s ripped out of her thoughts by a blood curdling scream coming from Adam. Both girls heads whip around to the boy, who has fallen to his knees, clutching his stomach. Black gold blood is pouring from his mouth, and dripping down his eyes like polluted water falls. Clarke doesn’t know what to do. All the medical training in the world her mother could have given her never prepared her for something like this. But before Clarke could even react, the boys ghost starts flickering out. And the last thing Clarke hears from Adam is a chocked out cry of help and he sputters out of existence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there ya have it! I have a lot of the story already planned out in a notebook somewhere. And a lot more of it written already. I may be throwing you some flashbacks early on to explain back story or honestly just to get Lexa in the story cause damn she doesn't come in for a bit in my story line  
> If you can already figure out the reference that is Octavia's last name, I will be pleasantly surprised.  
> Yelling/commenting makes me work faster.


	2. Off With His Head

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Action scenes and drama

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we go, chapter two. If anyone would like to beta for this story i'd be happily willing because me just reading it over a few times probably isn't the best methods  
> Muse makes me think of the 100, always.

Octavia watches as the intimidating blonde girls face crumples as she stares at the spot the sick looking boy was just in. The girl looks like she’s about to cry, or collapse, or do anything but her face just wipes clean of emotions and her eyes steel. Octavia flinches when the blonde’s stare lands on her. 

Before she can even blink, that scary sword is to her neck, and the girl has her in a choke hold. 

_ Ya know, _ she thinks,  _ this really could be worse _ . 

“Alright,” The blonde growls in her ear, tightening her grip. “Who the fuck are you? And why are you here?” And without even thinking of the consequences, Octavia tells her everything. 

***  
  


The training field is vast and deserted, about the size of a football field with white marble columns around the border. There’s multiple weapons racks and other equipment placed sporadically across the beaten down grass. A mellow breeze passing through the wind to cut through the bearing sun’s heat over head. In the middle of the field stood a lone girl, her brown hair tossing around dramatically as she practiced with her staff. Twirling it around with extreme skill and precision. 

 

The girl wore a tight black sleeveless tunic, showing off her impressive figure. It would have been like any other tunic, if not for the red infinity symbol etched on the back across the shoulders. Her shoulders were bare, unlike most soldiers who chose to wore a spaulder, she went without. Her black leather vambraces sat snug on her forearms, intricate designs pressed into the material. Dark blue pants finished out the outfit, fitting tight against her body as she moved. Her heavy boots stomping against the ground in a steady rhythm. Never faltering in her steps. If one looked close enough, opposite the girls they could see a celestial bronze dagger, clasped close to her hip. Celestial bronze was not a metal used by the Romans, they preferred Imperial Gold but no one was going to question the girl. The dagger never left her side, and she had a habit of fiddling with it during meetings or when she was nervous, but no one knew why. Besides one person, who was currently trekking up the field quickly. 

 

Anya could hear music blaring from the spot the girl was currently training in. 

 

_ ‘No one's gonna take me alive’ _

The dark haired girl struck out, moving along to the beat of the music.

_ ‘The time has come to make things right’ _

Her staff glided through her hands with practiced ease, weaving in and out between her body. 

_ ‘You and I must fight for our rights’ _

She jumped into a forward roll, springing back up to unleash a barrage of attacks onto invisible opponents. 

_ ‘You and I must fight to survive’ _

 

Anya, still unnoticed by the focused girl, leaned her hip against one of the weapons rack, to watch her former student. The music then picked up, the speakers blaring with a fast guitar riff. And Lexa picked up too, her staff becoming a blur as she kept time with the music. Blazing through complicated maneuvers like water. 

 

Lexa knew Anya was watching her, and with one last impressive turn of the staff she spun around to face her former mentor. A challenge shining in her eyes, as she beckoned the older woman to spar with her. Anya raised an eyebrow, staring down the younger girl, who held firm against her gaze. A smirk stretched across both their lips as Anya drew her sword and charged at the other girl. 

 

The music blazed on, composing their fight with heavy guitar riffs and choruses of vocals. 

 

Anya took a swipe at Lexa’s side, which was blocked easily by the staff, pushing her blade out of harm’s way. Using the momentum from the block, Anya spun, crouching her right leg and sweeping out with the left to try to knock Lexa off her feet. But the other girl jumped away before she could connect. Springing back up to a standing position, they rushed at each other again. They became a blur of sword and staff, they knew each other too well to be caught off guard by each other's techniques. They both jumped back, breathing heavily. It took alot to surprise the other in a spar but, Lexa was determined to do so. 

 

As the music started playing its final riff, they charged again. Anya going for an overhead strike, expected Lexa to block. What she didn’t expect was at the last second for Lexa to throw down her staff, draw the celestial bronze dagger at her waist and tackle Anya to the ground. Her sword fell from her hand in shock. Next thing the older girl knew, Lexa was on top of her, the dagger pressed to her throat. 

 

“You’re dead.” Lexa said, a sly smile glued to her face, and the music played it’s final chord.

 

Anya smacked her hand away from her throat, a malcontent grunt escaped her lips as she shoved the smiling girl off of her. 

 

“Such a sore loser,” Lexa grumbled, as she stood back up, moving over to the speaker to shut it off before another song decided to play. She sheathed the dagger back at her hip and grabbed a rag that was sitting on the table, using it to try to wipe the sweat off her face. 

 

Anya watched the girl walk to the table, she would never tell her this (cause someone’s got to keep this girl’s ego in check) but Anya was proud of the warrior Lexa had grown into. She stood from the ground, grabbing her sword, and putting it back into its sheathe with a click.  

 

There was a beat of comfortable silence as they cooled down from the training session, stretching out their limbs, and running a quick lap around the field. Lexa seemed lost in her head when they made it back to where they started. The younger girl started cleaning up her training supplies while Anya leaned back against a nearby rack, watching the girl. 

 

“Do you think you’ll ever find her again?” Anya asked, after watching Lexa iddly fiddle with the handle of the dagger at her waist while she cleaned, rolling her thumb over the face of the lion on the hilt. She watched as Lexa froze at the words, until a cold mask of indifference settled upon her face. 

 

“Who?” She asked, trying to distance herself from the conversation. 

 

Lexa knew exactly who they were talking about, of course. _ Her. _ But they don’t talk about  _ her _ , and Anya knew that. But she just crossed her arms, and stared down the younger girl. Watching her grip on the dagger tighten, until her knuckles were white with effort. The silence was stifling and tense. Blue eyes and golden blonde hair flashed through Lexa’s mind but she shook her head at the thought, breaking their stare down. 

 

“I don’t know.” Lexa finally answered, pinching the bridge of her nose with her left hand. “It’s been four years, Anya. She probably doesn’t even remember me. If the Gods wanted it, it would happen.” She continued, trying to shrug off the multitude of emotions this topic brings forth. Anya was about to speak when another person came running up to them. Curly brown hair bouncing slightly as he came to a stop in front of Lexa, his right hand quickly moving over his heart and bowing his head slightly. 

 

“Commander,” he said, straightening back up to look at the two woman before him. 

 

Bellamy didn’t understand why he was the one sent out to get Lexa. They have never gotten along very well, even when they were kids. He was more of a ‘shoot now, ask later’ kind of guy, when Lexa was more of a ‘be boring and think everything through until we all explode’ kind of person. And he knew Lexa didn’t have much favor for him either. One time he overheard her say, “The only Bellamy I like is Matt Bellamy, and he is not him.” Yeah, he wasn’t a famous guitar player from Muse, so what. 

The brooding man was pulled out of his thoughts when Lexa barked at him, 

“What do you want, Blake?” 

Bellamy didn’t react to the aggressive tone of the question, remembering why he was there in the first place.  

 

“The Council has called an emergency meeting.” 

 

Lexa felt her anger flare at the audacity of the council. They were always trying to pull this shit. Calling emergency meetings to try and catch the Commander off guard. An underhanded tactic to try and squeeze more power from her. It never worked but Lexa was still forced to entertain them. They may be the council, but she had the final say. And they knew it.

“What is it this time?” She asked, already frustrated with them. 

“Our off base camp has not reported in lately. They sent a scout out to find out why and found the camp deserted.”

Lexa stilled, her angry dissipating at the actual problem at hand.

“How many?” She asked, straightening her back and smoothing her features to the Commander’s mask. Her hand unconsciously moving to grip the dagger at her waist, yet again, for comfort. 

“300 soldiers are accounted missing, Commander”

 

***

 

Clarke Griffin has had **enough** of this day.

_ Maybe, one day I could just disappear into the forest for like 3 months _ , she thought. 

_ Yeah, right, like anyone would let me do that.  _

 

Not only did she watch another campers ghost mysteriously die...again, but now she’s trudging up the dark path to her father’s palace with this Octavia person. Well, person isn’t really the right term seeing as she’s a half fury (who even knew furies could have kids?) who’s been trapped in Tartarus by her mother for 16 years. But what really worried the blonde was what the girl over heard before escaping. This supposed ‘Reaper's’ enemy was strong enough to persuade the Furies out of her father’s service, which is pretty strong because he could be very terrifying when crossed. 

 

Clarke watched Octavia’s head whip around at every new thing she encountered on the way. Amazed by something as simple as a tree, (planted by Persephone, who was actually a pretty nice lady) or even the fact that they were walking on a road.  _ Wait till she sees the surface _ , Clarke chuckles to herself. 

 

Octavia’s wonderment doesn’t ease her mind for long though. This whole situation screamed suspicious. Adam was dead, that Clarke knew for sure but what happened to his spirit earlier was really putting her on edge. But what worried her most was the fact that Adam disappeared, while he was camp. Meaning the person who kidnapped him wasn’t a human because the Mist shrouded the camp from the human eye. 

 

The blonde sighed heavily, knowing this wasn’t going to end well. She shoved her hands into her coats deep pockets, hoping to draw strength from it. 

 

“So where are we headed?” Octavia asked suddenly, breaking the blonde out of her thoughts. 

Clarke looked over at the dark haired girl, eyeing her wearily. She didn’t trust the girl's sudden appearance, but she did seem to be telling the truth when she explained her story to her. Clarke took her right hand out of the comfort of her pocket and pointed to the approaching castle in the distance. Octavia looked ahead, a twinge of fear reaching her as she examined the castle ahead. It looked to be made of obsidian, the dark metal gleaming an eerie glow. Tall spires shot up into the dark sky, the tips disappearing into dark clouds. All and all the castle gave off a terrifying vibe. And Octavia knew just who it belonged to, Hades, the God of the Underworld. 

Octavia has never met Hades before, but she suspects he’s a pretty scary guy. Maybe has grey skin and blue flaming hair. Something like that. That seems reasonable. 

 

What she wasn’t expecting was being lead into a large office, containing a normal looking man with dirty blonde hair and blue eyes, in a neatly pressed suit. She watched Clarke approach the man and almost stopped her, because he was a dangerous guy. She knew from her mother’s stories that being under his employ was not the hottest gig around. 

 

But Octavia’s jaw dropped when Clarke stepped into the god’s personal space, patted his cheek and said, 

 

“You look old as shit.” 

 

Hades smirked at the blonde girl before him and reached out to pinch the bottom of her flannel shirt that was sticking out from underneath her favorite jacket. 

 

“Well, you look gay as fuck. What was it? Stereotype day?” 

 

They both crossed their arms, blue eyes glaring at the others. 

 

Octavia watched the pair tensely, but oddly enough couldn’t feel any anger or malice in the air at all. Her mother had taught her to detect it early on and unless her skills were slipping…

 

Suddenly the room was filled with ruckus laughter as the two blondes threw their heads back in giggles. Clarke leaned her head into Hades shoulder, still laughing as he put his arms around her for a quick hug. He really was a nice guy, just given a shitty job. A  _ ‘misportrayed emo _ ’ as Clarke insisted on describing it to him. After the laughter finally died down, Clarke stepped back from the man, and walked back over to a very confused Octavia. Only then did he finally notice the other presence in the room. 

 

“Dad, this is Octavia.” Clarke said, introducing the stranger to him. Octavia’s eye’s widened comically, she should have known though. He and Clarke look very similar. 

 

“Oh, I know.” Hades responded, a smile on his face as he extended his hand to the dark haired girl. Octavia shook it cautiously, her face taking on a mask of confusion. There was a beat of silence as both girls looked at him, stricken at the information. 

 

“What?” He asked, looking towards the both of them, after the silence dragged on. “I know everything that happens down here.” He turned back to Octavia. “I’m sorry I couldn’t pull you out of there sooner. Your mother had a ward on the house keeping me out. So I had to wait until you escaped yourself, to get you out. Did you like the elevator?” He asked excitedly, ignoring the serious topic he just was on, to talk about his tricked out ride. 

Octavia nodded slowly, still taking in what she just learned. 

He patted the girl on the shoulder, reassuringly, and turned to the both of them. His face taking on a more serious expression knowing why Clarke was here.  

 

“Do you know anything about something called, ‘The Reapers’?” Clarke asked, looking at Octavia who nodded at the correct name she overheard. “Possibly something that could have enough power to corrupt the Furies out of your employ?” She finished cautiously, knowing her father never liked traitors. 

 

“Those deserters!” Hades yelled, throwing his arms in the air. “If they think they’re still getting their bonus packages, they are dead wrong.” 

 

Clarke chuckled under her breath at her dad’s outburst, he took his business very seriously. She watched him as he took a deep breath and clasped his hands behind his back. He began to pace across the floor in front of them, deep in thought as he ran over the information in his head. 

 

“Reapers?” He started, shaking his head as he continued pacing. “Never heard of them.” Clarke’s head sank at the news, but quickly pulled back up when her father continued. “But, I have been getting odd reports from the San Francisco area. Their Mist feels...off apparently. Like something’s not right.” He stopped pacing, his gaze landing on his daughter. Stone faced as she listened to his information. 

Clarke absorbed the news, nodding her head lightly. 

 

“Thank you for the lead, Dad.” She said, “I guess we’re headed to California.” 

He nodded and hummed his approval at the plan, telling her to stay safe.

 

“Also,” He said, moving to sit back behind his desk and opened a drawer to pull out a long white box and placed it on the desk in front of him. 

 

“Gave our blacksmiths quite a challenge, a Nemean Lion pelt is bulletproof and sword proof but they figured it out and present you with this.”

 

He took the lid off of the box and placed it aside to show a set of black leather armor inside. Clarke stepped up to the desk, running her hands over the material. The vambraces sat on top, glinting in the light of the office. She put them aside, shucking off her jacket momentarily to put on her new armor. 

The chest protector was the most interesting piece in the set because it was a light black leather tunic, thin spaulders attached at the shoulders reaching down to about mid elbow, the back embroidered by the face of a snarling lion. The lion had become her symbol when she came to camp, a constant reminder of what happened to get her here. Clarke shook the old thoughts from her head, her father speaking up 

 

“The smiths knew that you use speed to your advantage in a fight and that a full set of armor would weigh you down.” 

 

Clarke nodded in appreciation and tugged it on. She was surprised by how easily it moved. Excitedly, she threw back on her jacket, the tunic fitting perfectly under the coat, and picked up the vambraces. They were light weight, three clasps reaching down the arm to make sure they were snug against her forearm. 

 

She quickly strapped them on, securing perfectly over the arms of her jacket. The final piece was the greaves, which she clasped onto her calves easily.They stretched from her knees, down to her ankles, an extra piece protecting her feet. She spun around, appreciating the feel of the armor. 

 

“Thank you so much,” Clarke said, appreciation shining in her eyes as her dad nodded with a smile on his face. 

 

“I hope it protects you well.” 

 

Hades spared a glance over at Octavia, then looked back at Clarke. 

 

“Are you taking her with you?” He asked, watching Clarke for her decision. 

 

She honestly didn’t know what to do with the girl. She obviously had information that could be useful, but trusting her was a whole other situation. She did seem to be honest in her intentions of escape, and no want to follow in her mother’s footsteps, so Clarke decided to take a chance on the girl. 

 

“I’m taking her to camp with me. Will she make it through the borders?” Hades nodded, being half human would easily give her access to the camp. 

Clarke nodded, she thought it would. She said farewell to her father, grabbing Octavia’s wrist, partially dragging her back to where she knew the transport would be waiting. As the elevator doors slid shut, Hades called out from far off. 

 

“His name is Bellamy, Octavia. Bellamy Blake.” 

 

***

Raven didn’t trust the new girl. Didn’t matter how hot she was (after taking a much needed shower), she didn’t trust her. The mechanic sat next to Clarke on her bed, as they watched the mysterious girl explore Cabin Thirteen. She looked at everything with awe, just like she did the shower, and the trees and… anything she saw when she walked into the camp. Clarke watched Raven glare at the girl, and nudged her gently with her elbow. 

 

“She’s fine,” Clarke said, trying to soothe Raven’s obvious qualms over the girl. She looked over at Clarke, a silent communication passing through their eyes. Raven nodded, her tense muscles relaxing as she leaned her head onto the blonde womans shoulder. Raven just worried for her friend, she has gone through too much shit for her to be such a kind person, and yet here she was trusting a half demon not to slit her throat while she slept.  Yeah, Clarke had explained the situation to her, telling her to keep it hush hush for Octavia’s sake. The blonde had a weakness for sob stories and wanted to fix everything, but sometimes that just wasn’t possible. But she hoped, for the blonde’s sake, that it was this time. 

 

They were enjoying a rare moment of downtime, Octavia putzing around the room in some of Clarke’s old clothes while Raven and Clarke talked quietly about her new armor. Raven trying to convince the blonde to let her add a spring action hidden dagger to her vambraces. Clarke arguing that she would probably end up hurting herself more than others with those, and that this was not Assassin’s Creed. 

But those peaceful moments never last. 

The easy evening was shattered by a timid knocking at the door. Clarke sighed, as Raven picked her head up off her shoulder to look towards the door. The blonde had a feeling she knew who it was and was not looking forward to the conversation. She slowly eased off the bed and made for the door, opening it slowly to reveal Claire standing in the retreating light of the sunset. 

 

Clarke wordlessly let her in and sat her between the mechanic and herself, she would need the support. Tears were already shining in Claire’s eyes when she looked to the blonde and asked, in a trembling quiet voice, 

 

“Did you find him, Clarke? In the Underworld? Did you find Adam?” 

 

Clarke sighed heavily, raking her fingers through her hair.

 

“Yes,” she said, letting the word hang in the air like a noose. She heard the choked sob of the girl next to her, her body sagging into the blonde as she cried. Clarke didn’t have the heart to telling the grieving girl about what happened to Adam’s ghost while she was there. She just awkwardly held the girl as she sobbed, Raven leaning over to rub soothing circles into her back. 

 

Octavia watched the scene from the other side of the room, intrigued by the humans odd comfort ritual. Interested how physical contact could result in relief. The only physical contact she got growing up, was during her training sessions with her mother. And those didn’t seem as comforting as the way Clarke held the other girl. 

 

Octavia was pulled out of her thoughts, when a blood curtling scream cut across the cabin like a knife. Everyone in the room stilled for a second, until a second scream came after the first and they all moved into action. Clarke’s coat fluttered out as the girl snapped up, grabbing her sword that was leaning against the bed and strapping it across her chest in a fluid, practiced motion. Raven quickly checked her brace and got up, helping Claire to her feet as well. 

 

Octavia followed after the three girls as they bolted out of the cabin, moving towards the source of the scream. They reached a clearing in the woods, not far behind Clarke’s cabin to find wood nymph starring terrified off into the brush. Monty, a satyr who helped bring Clarke to camp, and Jasper, a close friend of his (that Clarke honestly felt was a tad bit annoying) were knelt down next to the nymph, trying to console her. Monty looked up to meet Clarke’s stare, a question in his eyes when the nymph screamed again and scrambled away from the two boys. Her eyes far away and terrified as she stared into the woods, moving behind Clarke’s group for protection. The blonde could hear the nymph now, watching her shake violently as disjointed words fell from her mouth. 

“Wrong...wrong.. He… No,no!” 

Monty moves to help her again when there’s a rustle from where the nymph was pointing. 

 

A rustle, and a familiar body steps out from the trees. Clarke’s skin crawled uncomfortably as the boy stepped into the remaining light of the evening. His clothes were torn and tattered, hanging from his body like he had lost weight. His hair was matted down with blood, skin a sickly white. He was staring at the ground, hair obstructing his face, the battered hoodie he was wearing blocking his neck. Clarke knew who it was, but couldn’t believe it. She had seen his ghost in the Underworld herself. Something was wrong. She could feeling a thrumming in the air, her sword hissed out a silent warning, weary of the boy, of his soul.

 

“ADAM,” Claire screamed, rushing forward towards the boy before Clarke could stop her. 

Relieved tears sliding down her face as she ran to him. 

 

“Claire, no, something isn’t-” Clarke had started, but it was too late. 

 

Everything happened too fast. 

 

Claire was almost upon him, tears streaming down her face in relief when it happens. 

 

Adams head reels back to let out an inhuman glass shattering screech. His eyes glowing a dirty gold, dripping black ooze down his face like an open wound. Plates and wires attached to his neck like a diseased Frankenstein’s monster, his veins protruding out of his skin in a gruesome manner. Hands disfigured into claws, his nails black and long, looking sharp enough to cut steel.   

 

And before anyone can even blink, Claire is on her knees, blood raining from her neck like an open tap on a broken sink. She looks up at the boy in front of her, part of her neck hanging from his bloody claws. She lets out a final gurgled groan before falling forward, on her face. Blood pooling around her body. 

 

And Claire was gone. 

 

There was silence except for the wind in the trees and the heavy breathing of whoever, whatever was standing across the clearing. After watching their fellow camper tear out the neck of his girlfriend in one sickening swipe, they didn’t know what to do. The silence was stifling and terrifying. The waiting is always the worst part. 

 

And then the silence was broken, by Adam charging forward towards the group, another screech on his lips. 

 

Everyone freezes, not knowing what to do in this type of situation. 

 

Except for Clarke, her gaze hardening, as he approaches quickly. 

 

And in one fluid motion, draws her sword, and cuts Adam’s head off. Black ooze splattering across Clarke. 

 

His body goes flying forward, following his momentum and lands in a heap next to Raven who cringes and tries to find the strength to step away but stays rooted in her spot, staring at the now headless body. 

 

The head rolls to a stop in front of Clarke, polluted gold eyes staring up at her. Time stands still for a moment as they all take in what they just witnessed. Clarke’s grip tightens on her sword as Adam’s heavy gaze is imprinted into her brain. She didn’t feel bad for killing him, no, he was already dead. But guilt still nagged at her like a hungry animal waiting to be fed. Time starts back up when the forgot nymph makes a strangled gasp of horror and dashes out of the clearing, shattering the deathly quiet. 

 

“Clarke,” Raven spits, her eyes still on the body. “Adam.” 

 

Clarke spins around, breaking her gaze with the head, and looks to Raven. Her voice clear and loud when she says, “That’s not Adam, Raven. That’s what killed him.” The mechanic finally looks up, the fear in her eyes lessening slightly when she meets Clarke’s steady gaze. She nods tightly, stepping away from the body. 

 

“Clarke, what’s going on?” Monty asks quietly, his eyes unfocused, looking towards Claire’s body. 

 

Everything is quiet again as they all wait for Clarke’s answer. The weight of responsibility settling on her shoulders. She straightens her back, anger seeping into her voice. 

 

“I don’t know. But I sure as hell intend to find out.” 

 

They all nodded, determined to put a stop to whatever this was. 

 

“Raven,” Clarke snapped, moving into leader mode. “I need you to collect samples from the body. Anything you think might be useful.” Raven nodded, rushing out of the clearing to get something to collect them with. 

 

“Then someone burn the bodies, we don’t know how whatever this is works and I sure as hell don’t want them coming back.”

 

At that, Clarke whipped back around, kneeling in front of the severed head of her former fellow camper. His eyes still wide, staring, accusing. She looked over to Claire’s body, then back to the head, slowly reaching over and closes his eyes. 

  
“Your fight is over.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yikes! I can get violent if I want to  
> Note: I'm going on vacation soon (woo parahoy) so i'm trying to crank out a few chapters for you guys for while i'm gone. So I can't promise to update this quickly in the future but I just wanted some more up to tide you over.  
> Yelling/comments help me write faster  
> Thanks for reading!


	3. The Balcony Suddenly Becomes Useful

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> tensions are high and jason gets rightfully kicked off the balcony

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so about Lexa... you may be able to tell I am a tad bit angry at a certain show producer scumbag so he gets forcefully implanted into the story and kicked off a balcony. Anyway. Sorry for the wait, I was actually on a cruise with Paramore so I was a tad bit distracted for a few days.... Anyway here's a new chapter that's kinda just set up  
> PS I love writing modern lexa I love her  
> PSS Honestly, I didn't finish reading the heros of olympus series so I honestly know nothing about the roman demi gods so basically i'm winging it. they're roman grounders, lets go with that.

Voices echoed across the room, bouncing against the marble walls and coming back to bang heavily against Lexa’s already throbbing head. This meeting was not going well, and had just delved into a pissing contest between the male council members.  She wished she could just head out onto the balcony overlooking the city and block out these idiots, but she didn’t believe that was going to happen anytime soon. 

 

Lexa sat at the head of the table, slouched slightly, her legs spread out, in what she found out to be an intimidating pose to others. Really, she knew, it was because she was sitting like a man and that made other men uncomfortable. Even though the double standards filled her with anger, she still used it to her advantage. Plus, it was much more comfortable to sit this way through these long meetings. 

 

The brunette shifted her shoulder slightly, trying to subtly reconfigure the pauldron on her right shoulder. She hated that thing, not caring really about the actual armor, but the long red flowing cape attached to it. She would admit, it did cut a striking image when she needed a dramatic entrance or exit but, it was annoyingly cumbersome in a fight. It got in the way, someone could step on it. It left you very vulnerable to your opponent.

 

Plus, it was itchy. 

 

_ Edna Mode was right _ , she thought.  _ No capes _ . 

 

She listened to the arguing continue as she unsheathed the dagger at her side, and started to fiddle with it. Passing the blade carefully between her fingers, she admired the design that was so clearly different than their own. Celestial Bronze crafted much differently than Imperial Gold. Plus, bronze was more of a Greek thing. _ Not not many else know that _ , Lexa thought to herself. The common populace of the Greek and Roman camps knew nothing of each other. But, she was the Commander, of course she knew. Well… she did know by accident, but it’s the knowledge that counts. Rolling her thumb over the lion on the hilt, she raised her head back to the rising tensions in the room. 

 

There were 6 councilors on each side of the table, one for each clan in New Rome. Which made for many different opinions, and lots hot headed shouting. Most of the shouting usually came from the non military clans, who were never taught how to school their emotions. Which just made them more frustrated when their opposers would respond to their shouts with calm, unperturbed looks on their faces. 

 

Lexa found it hilarious, but she kept that to herself. Like most things. 

 

Councilor Pike, was the current voice grating against Lexa’s growing headache. The dark skinned man stood at the right side of the table, Councilor Quint right next to him. Lexa honestly had no idea how these two were elected to be counselors, with their penchant for jumping the gun for violence and stubborn elitist attitudes. They both held a general disregard for others lives that Lexa found appalling. 

 

“We shouldn’t waste any more men to this,” Pike argued at Gustus, who’s looming figure stood stoically across the table. “If we send out another squad, they’ll just end up gone like the others. They’re probably all dead anyway.” 

 

“Those were our people out there,” Gustus argued back. “We have to know what happened to them. What we’re up against.” 

 

“No,” Quint chimed in, his voice carrying across the room. “Those were _ your  _ people. The Ice and Coal Clans never agreed to send a platoon to Mount Tamalpais. And we won’t waste resources to help bail out the Tree Clan.” 

 

Lexa could feel Gustus’s anger from here, radiating off him like a furnace. His jaw snapping shut, and fingers rolling into tight fists. She was about to intervene before Gustus skinned the man with his glare alone, but was beaten to the punch by Luna of the Boat Clan. Lexa liked Luna, she knew how to navigate politics like a snake but still tried to help all the people instead of just her own clan. They were also technically half sisters, Luna also being a daughter of Minerva. So it helped them see things similarly. 

 

“Our clans may be separate,” Luna began, elegantly rising from her chair. “But our people are one. A loss from any, should be felt by all. And it is extremely appalling that the Councilor think otherwise.” 

 

Luna finished and looked to Lexa, who gave her a slight nod, and sat back down. The room erupted into arguments as the Councilors debated whose people they should care about. Gods, Lexa didn’t like seventy five percent of the council because all they thought of was themselves. It was generally disgusting to witness how selfish people can become with just a little power handed to them.  

 

Pike and Quint had similar masks of rage spreading across their faces. They looked like they were about to start up again, when Lexa decided she heard enough. Striking the dagger into the arm of her chair with her right hand, and raising her left into the air in a ‘halt’ fashion. 

 

“ _ Em pleni, _ ” she said, a distinct power behind her words. The room silenced, looking towards the Commander. A mask of indifference settled across her face as she spoke, in an even tone. 

 

“The Councilor of the Boat Clan is right. Even if our clans our separate, our people are still one. And we do need to find out what the rising threat is, that is coming from the mountain.” She looked over to Gustus, who nodded along to her words. Then back over to Pike who looked, worried and in pain. So, kinda constipated. The expression put her slightly on edge, for reasons unknown to her but she continued. 

 

“So I have decided, I will be going to search for the team myself.” 

 

And the room erupted into shouts again. 

 

This headache was never going to go away, apparently. 

 

But one voice stood out amongst the rest, a voice Lexa  _ hated _ . The voice of a tiny, weak willed man who took credit for others accomplishments and honestly, was probably homophobic. He usually didn’t speak during meetings, but here he was, a raving smile on his face and his eyes shooting across the room a mile a minute. 

 

“This is what she wants!” He raved, taking a step across the table towards Lexa. 

 

The Commander quickly stood, moving to stand across from the obviously delirious man. Pike stood quickly, trying to hold back the man. “This is not the time, Jason.” But was quickly thrown off by his fanatic movements. 

 

Lexa guards started to move in on the man, but she held a hand up, stopping them. 

 

“Let him make his move.” She stated calmly as the room stilled, waiting to see what would happen next. 

 

“This dyke bitch has to die! It’s what she wants! It’s what she needs.”

 

And Jason charged, a knife being drawn from his belt. Swinging madly at the Commander. Lexa jumped back from the swipe and quickly grabbed him by the shoulders, knocking the blade out of his hands, and pushed him back, slamming him with such force into the balcony doors, they burst open. Jason bouncing off the railing and stumbling around to face the angry leader behind him. 

 

“Your people deserve much better than you, filthy scum.” Lexa said, stalking towards the crazed man with deadly grace. Everyone watched in silence as the Commander made it on to the balcony, fiercely glaring at the man. 

 

“You and that blonde bitch will never defeat the Mistress. Never! You will fall!” Jason yelled, stepping towards Lexa in a manic haze. 

 

“Hm,” Lexa contemplated, making her last step onto the balcony. “I won’t fall, but it sounds like a good idea for you.” The dark haired girl spit out, and promptly slamming her right boot into the vile man’s chest and watching him fly off the balcony. She heard him land with a sickeningly satisfying crunch on the ground, many stories below. And the Commander turned, unbridled rage shining in her glare as she looked every councilor in the eyes and said, 

 

“Would anyone else like to question me?” 

 

No one did. 

 

*** 

 

Garbled phone connections bounced off the walls of the office. 

 

_ “She’s headed out there with a small group soon. This is your best shot at this. We can’t let these two silly _ **_children_ ** _ ruin our plans” _

A deep voice said, another joining soon after. 

 

_ “I believe the same for the other one too. My sources tell me, she has a lead. I will try to get the prophecy from her soon.”  _

 

“Very well gentlemen, thank you. I’ll be in touch.” 

 

_ “Of course, Mistress.”  _

 

_ “My pleasure, Mistress.”  _

 

And the phone line went dead. 

 

Alie stood in her office, overlooking the lab technicians go about their work like ants in a colony. They scurried about with only a single thought on their mind, pleasing her. And Alie preened at the attention. After being trapped in that wretched cage for so many centuries, she was back at what she did best. 

 

Corruption. 

 

A dastardly smile spread across her face, laced with malice and wicked glee. The Gods were going to pay for what they did to her. 

 

The woman didn’t flinch from her position when the doors to her office swished open. From the swaggering footsteps walking in, she knew who it was. Cage Wallace. He came to stand beside her, folding his arms behind his back as he joined her in watching the floor below. 

 

The lab was lined with dozens of stasis chambers, various tubes and wires sticking out from them. The metal shining with an ominous gleam, as the technicians guided zonked out soldiers into the tubes. Their eyes glazed over, following the lead of whoever was pushing them and not even so much as flinching when a breathing tube was shoved down their throats,  metal plates and injection needles clasping onto their bodies and water filling the tank. 

 

Vats of gold incor lined the sides of the walls, ready to be completed. 

 

After a minute, Cage broke the silence. 

 

“The mission was a success ma’am. All 300 soldiers are accounted for and ready for the experiment.”  

 

Alie nodded, a smirk stretching across her lips as she spun on her heel and made her way to the main floor of the lab. Indoctrination was a fickle asset but it usually stuck best when she was closer to the subjects. 

 

She ran her hand through the gold incor, watching as it turned to a dirty gold, bubbles popping every once and awhile across the liquid. It looked corroded, unhealthy, corrupted, just the way she liked it. 

 

“You may begin.” 

 

She smiled as a chorus of agonizing screams bubbled past the containment chambers, as the corrupted liquid was injected into their bodies. 

 

*** 

 

“Yeah, I don’t do oracles.” 

 

Clarke crossed her arms across her chest, staring blankly at Jaha. Oracles gave her the creeps, and she didn’t like other people knowing her apparently ominous foreboding future so she tried to avoid them as much as possible. And so far, she had succeeded. Now, Jaha was being very insistent about seeing the oracle, but Clarke just wasn’t having it. 

 

Kane stood on the far end of the room, leaning against the back wall. Occasionally shaking his head at the scene in front of him. Something has been off about the camp director recently, something weird but the leader of the Satyrs just couldn’t place it. Jaha was almost forcing Clarke to see the oracle, manic worry set into his expression when Clarke continued to blatantly refuse. 

“Clarke, this is a quest. You need to see the Oracle. No exceptions.” Jaha said sternly to the blonde, who just gave him an uninterested stare in return. 

 

“I’ve gone on multiple quests without seeing the Oracle, Jaha!” Clarke argued, breaking her stare with the dark skinned man to look over at Kane for a little support. The satyr just shook his head in defeat, knowing Jaha wouldn’t budge on this one. 

 

“I’m sorry Clarke, but he’s right. This mission is just too important to skip the Oracle. A camper has died within our walls. It’s too important.” Kane calm voice doing nothing to help her current mood. 

 

“I won’t say this again. No Oracle, no quest.” Jaha’s unmoving tone breaking any calm that Kane could have made. 

 

The silence that followed was tense, Clarke never being one to give up during an argument. Jaha stood tall against the blonde girls scrutiny. After another tense moment, the silence was broken by an exasperated huff leaving the blondes lips. She spun on her hell, moving towards the door to the attic of the Big House. 

 

She wrenched it open more aggressively than needed, and put her foot on the first step, about to head up into the abode of the Oracle. Before she shut the door though, she looked over her shoulder, straight towards Jaha. 

 

“I’m only doing this as a courtesy to Kane. You know I could leave this camp whenever I feel like.” Clarke started, seriously not liking that her urgent plans were put on hold so she could go talk to some middle aged woman who would spout nonsense at her. 

 

“You may be Director, but i’m in charge.” 

 

And the door slams shut. 

 

The room stayed silent for a moment, the only noise in the room being the thumping of Clarke’s feet up the wooden steps, before Kane’s deep chuckle broke across the room. Jaha’s glare moved from the door to the other man in the room, his anger peaking. The girl wasn’t cooperating like he needed her to. 

 

“Clarke is some camper, isn’t she?” Kane said, breaking the silence, a fond smile spreading across his face. He had been the one to bring Clarke to Camp Half Blood all those years ago. It had been such an unfortunate situation to bring him to personally escort the girl back to camp, but it had been necessary. She could have ended up much differently, given her situation, but the girl grew up to have a good head on her shoulders. 

 

She was right though. The campers answered to her before they would ever listen to Jaha. She was a natural leader, and people just fell in line around her. 

“That insolent girl!” Kane’s thoughts on the blonde were broken by Jaha’s angry exclamation. He looked over at the man quickly, a worried expression settled over his face. Jaha was usually good at keeping a calm head, he was a leader, he had to. But this not what he was used to. Anger glinted in the man’s eyes like a manic fire, his fists clenched tightly. But before Kane could do a thing he spoke, quietly, more to himself.  

 

“She’s going to get what’s coming to her, mark _ her _ words.” 

 

And he strode out of the room, leaving the elder satyr standing there with a serious sense of foreboding leaking into him. 

 

Something was not right. 

 

*** 

The room was empty today, except for two. One, who slightly limped in, followed by another who looked at every piece of equipment and machinery like she had just won the lottery. Raven got it, she understood, that this girl really has never seen anything like this because of her...upbringing. 

 

But the innocent child act was starting to get old.

 

Real quick. 

 

Raven had been put on, what she charmingly called “Demon Babysitting” today while Clarke went up to the Big House to tell the Director about her mission. Normally, they wouldn’t go through all the protocol but, this time seemed a bit too important to pass up. 

 

On that sombering note passing through the mechanics mind, she hobbled over to the small lab station that was situated in the corner of the room. Raven wasn’t a science prodigy, but some  _ would  _ call her a genius. It also helped she was determined to help figure out what was going on. 

 

Whatever happened to Adam was seriously giving her the heebie jeebies, and she needed to quell those bad vibes with cold hard facts. It was just how she dealt with trauma. 

 

Quickly setting down all her samples, which she refused to think about where she got from. She threw a look over to the other girl in the room, who was standing in front of the coals of the forge. The mechanic took a moment to appreciate the view for a moment. She couldn’t deny that Octavia was attractive. And the way the light from the fire was playing across her face was absolutely breathtaking. Her long dark hair shone against the light, in just the right way.The wonder in her eyes still present as she watched the flames dance, a content smile spread across her face. 

 

Octavia, completely oblivious to the other girls staring, decided she liked the Forge. It was warm and homey, unlike her crawl space underneath the floorboards in the Underworld. Everything was so different here, so bright. If she had known it was like this on the surface, she would have tried a thousand times harder to make it here sooner. The silence settling across the room was calm and easy. Octavia took a deep breath in, fully accepting the fact that she was here, on the surface, instead of having a very elaborate dream. 

 

After a minute of silence, Raven finally pulled her eyes away from the dark haired beauty and spoke. 

 

“Alright, Octavia. I have some work to do here so feel free to look around but don’t touch anything. Don’t want you getting hurt or something, Clarke would kill me.” 

 

And with that Raven turned to her work, determined to find answers. 

 

The Forge was by no means a quiet place. The constant woosh of the air being blown into the embers to keep them burning, the sizz and crackling of the fire, the sound of groaning gears from various projects and fans. But this, this was all background noise to Raven. She felt at home in the Forge, just like most children of Hephaestus. She was put at ease by the constant hum of the workshop. Except for today.  

 

**_Clink …_ **

_ By the gods  _

**Clink…**

_ Why did you do this to me, Clarke.  _

**_Clink…_ **

_ That’s it  _

 

“OCTAVIA I SWEAR TO THE GODS IF YOU PULL THAT ONE MORE TIME. ONE. _ MORE _ . **_TIME._ ** I’M GOING TO SHOVE YOUR PRETTY LITTLE FACE INTO THE FORGE.” 

 

Octavia stilled a table away, her hand pausing on the clip she was pulling back and letting loose against the metal bench, her head moving towards the raving mechanic. Raven held her stare, frustration shining in her eyes. 

 

After a moment Raven calmed slightly, thinking Octavia understood the message and was going to sit back down when the other girl spoke, a mischievous smile spreading across her lips. 

 

“So you think i’m pretty?” She said in a sultry tone, that clearly should not have been possible for a girl who knew nothing about the world. 

 

Raven froze for a moment, not knowing what to say when Octavia’s grin grew impossibly wider and she let go of the metal clip. Letting it hit the table with zeal. 

 

**_Clink!_ **

 

“You’re so fucking dead, Shepard!” 

 

“Only if you can catch me, Reyes!” 

 

And Raven was off, chasing the girl through the open area in front of the Forge. Octavia was quick on her feet and avoided the mechanic for a few moments, but Raven was smart and quickly outsmarted the girl. Tackling her to the ground and pinning her arms above her head. A triumphant smile spread across her face as she looked down at the girl below her. Who wasn’t even trying to break out of her grasp. Just breathing slightly heavily while staring up at her. 

 

“You ready to get that pretty little face melted off?” Raven asked, a mock serious expression settling over her face. 

 

“Aw, so you do think i’m pretty.” Octavia responded, sticking out her bottom lip in a serious puppy dog expression. They both stared at the other for a moment, before they both burst into raucous laughter. Raven rolling off of Octavia, to take up the space next to her on the dusty ground. 

  
They enjoyed the moment of mirth to it’s fullest because, with everything going on, it seemed like it my be the last for a long while. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I thought i'd end this chapter on a happy note because the last one ended so heavy. Honestly don't know who i'm pairing Raven with yet. Cause I like her with Octavia and Anya so.... I may just set it up for both and decide later. (If you want to throw in your opinion on this leave me a comment)  
> Anyway hope you liked it! See ya soon


	4. We're Off To See The...Mother

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a Clarke-centric chapter with a good ole flashback in it

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I haven't updated in a while. I got a tad lost in how i wanted this chapter to go. This chapter is all about Clarke and the gang.

Camp Half-Blood could never be described as a calm place. It was a constant hub of movement and noise. The sprawling green lawns and ever growing trees placed a backdrop of life that Clarke Griffin would never get enough of. Being the daughter of the God of the Underworld really made you appreciate the living. 

 

The hustle and bustle of the camp helped Clarke calm down some after her visit with the Oracle. The prophecy she got was...worrying to say the least. Only because, she’s heard it before. It’s been four years since she heard those words but she wouldn’t forget them ever. A slight shock of excitement ran through her thinking about  _ who _ she heard the words with, but was pulled out of her thoughts at the uproar of a crowd gathered around the training field. 

 

_ “Who is this new girl?!”  _

 

_ “I don’t know man but she’s hot!”  _

 

Pushing past the campers surrounding the field, she found two campers sparring. More specifically, it was the new ‘camper’ Octavia Shepard tearing apart anyone that dared step into the ring. The crowd cheered whenever the dark haired girl landed a hit, which caused quite a stir because she was the only one landing said hits. 

 

The girl moved with a deadly grace and precision that only came with a combination of intense practice and natural skill. Clarke watched as the girl weaved in and out of the strikes her opponent tried to place, before placing a swift kick to his chest and the kid goes flying to the ground with a loud thump. The cheering of the crowd increases as Octavia smirks at the fallen combatant. 

 

She didn’t know how she felt about this new development. On one hand, she was impressed by the girl's apparent skill but, on the other hand, this was irrefutable proof that this girl was not as innocent as she originally deemed. The blonde recognized the fighting style that the Furies used, meaning she was trained in secret by her mother. She would have to keep a closer eye on her, just in case. 

 

“Alright, who’s next?!” Octavia yelled to the crowd, throwing her arms out wide with a manic grin spread across her face. No one stepped forward, leaving Octavia to smirk and cross her arms leaning on her left leg in a confident pose. 

“Really? No one?” She laughs, watching a group of boys trying to convince one of their friends to step into the ring, when a voice rings out across the field. 

 

“I’ll take a whack at it,” Clarke announces confidently, smirking when the crowd goes silent. The blonde steps into the center of the ring, her coat blowing back dramatically when a gust of wind blows through the camp. 

 

Octavia’s smile stays in place, just barely, when she sees the blonde step forward. She was pretty sure the demi gods couldn’t feel it, but her muted demon senses could. The intense aura surrounding the girl put her on edge. But she wouldn’t let it show. It also helped when Clarke shot her a competitive glare that held no ill will towards the girl. Bouncing on the balls of her feet, Octavia settled back into a loose defensive stance. 

 

“Well, let’s go Griffin. What are you waiting for?” The dark haired girl taunted, a smile appearing on her face again. 

 

Clarke started forward towards the girl, throwing a punch with her left hand towards Octavia’s sternum. She decided to take it easy at first, pulling her punches to see how good this girl actually was. It wasn’t surprising when the half demon easily blocked her advances, and was quick to fire back a few of her own. Clarke observed Octavia’s movements, hoping to learn something about her new acquaintance. Her footwork could be better, and her unschooled emotions led to her giving away what her next move would be. But she made up for it with speed, and an almost annoying tendency to never stay down. 

 

In her musings, the blonde is caught off guard by an aggressive right hook to the face. She stumbles back, surprise in her eyes as she looks across at the, now gloating, Octavia. “Is that all you got, Griffin?” She taunted, wiping dirt off her jacket and looking around at the awed crowd. “Honestly,” she said, shrugging. “I expected better.” 

 

Clarke brought a hand to her jaw, moving it around carefully to check for any damage. Thankfully, nothing seemed broken. She would just be sporting a nasty bruise for a while. But it could be put off for now, it’s time to knock a bit of sense into this girl. (All in good fun...of course) 

 

“I guess it’s time to take off the training wheels then.” Clarke responds, shucking off her coat and handing it to a nearby camper, who almost falls over in surprise at it’s weight. Yeah, she may have reinforced parts of the jacket  with weights to help increase her speed and strength. It was actually Raven’s design. Clarke didn’t know exactly how it worked but, it made the coat much heavier in strategic places without actually altering the coat. Which Clarke would just not allow. She wasn’t wearing her new armor today so that just left her in a gray long sleeve shirt and black jeans.

 

_ I really should have worn a sports bra today _ , she thought, looking down at the low neckline of the shirt. _ Oh well.  _

 

“If you could stop stripping for one second, Clarke?” Octavia starts, “We’re kind of in the middle of-” 

 

Clarke smirks, and then she was gone. 

 

_ Holy shit, she’s fast!  _

 

Octavia thought before quickly moving to block a vicious punch aimed for her jaw. The younger girl quickly learned that speed was not on her side this time. She retaliated with a knee to the gut, but it barely seemed to faze the blonde. Who took a shot at her stomach with her opposite hand. Jumping back quickly, she swept her leg trying to catch the other girl off guard. Clarke knew she shouldn’t be showing off, but couldn’t help it so she lept into a back handspring to avoid the sweep, landing with a smirk on her face as the crowd cheered around her. 

 

“Is that all you got, Shepard?” Clarke asks, mimicking Octavia’s earlier taunt. “Honestly, I expected better.” She finishes, an innocent look of confusion crossing her face. 

 

But Octavia wasn’t giving up that easily, charging at Clarke. They traded vicious blows, the crowd roaring in the background. Clarke was a vicious fighter, but Octavia never gave up. No matter how many times she was knocked down, she got back up. That fire still in her eyes. Clarke was impressed by the younger girls drive but, it made her reckless as the fight went on. Giving Clarke an opportunity to finish it. Octavia jumped, sending a sharp kick towards Clarke’s head which was grabbed at the ankle and spun back around to send Octavia sprawling to the ground. Clarke quickly capitalized on the moment, placing her foot over the girl's neck. 

 

“You’re dead,” Clarke said, a sly grin spreading across her face. Octavia looked up at the victorious blonde, who quickly backed away and offered her a hand up. 

 

“Come on,” she said, pulling Octavia to her feet. “We have a quest to prepare for.” 

The crowd slowly disbanded, a young camper handing Clarke back her coat with apparent strain. But the blonde threw it back on with ease, a tranquil smile gracing her face as the familiar weight settled on her shoulders. There was an easy silence as they started their walk back to Cabin Thirteen but the only thing Octavia could think about was the lesson she learned today. 

 

_ Don’t fuck with Clarke Griffin.  _

 

*** 

 

“No, you idiot! YOU FORGOT YOUR SAUCE.” 

 

They could hear Raven yelling from inside Cabin Thirteen before they even got inside. 

 

“THE ROSE WATER IS IN THE SAUCE. Oh he so chopped. Nu uh, there is no way back from this.” 

 

The door to Cabin Thirteen banged open as Clarke and Octavia entered, Raven looking up from her spot in the far corner of the room. Clarke was the only camper who had a TV in her cabin, mainly because Raven secretly figured out how to get cable into the camp and didn’t want to share with the rest of Hephaestus cabin. So it was settled nicely in the Hades cabin, across from a very comfortable couch provided by the man himself.  

 

The steady voice of Ted Allen filled the room, as he introduced the chefs to the judges. 

 

“Good episode?” Clarke asked, as she crossed the room to lean on the couch Raven is currently lounged on. Octavia stood off to the side, curiously glancing at the flashing lights of the tv. 

 

“Eh,” Raven said, adjusting her brace before getting up to turn the television off. “Bunch of idiots and there’s no female chef so, not really.” Clarke chuckled at the girls clear frustration at the show. 

 

“Well,” Clarke started, shucking off her coat as she moved towards the closet that held her armor. “It’s a good thing, because we have a quest to start, so go get ready. Be back here in half an hour.” The mechanic nodded solemnly, moving towards the cabin door. 

 

“We bringing the big guns?” Raven asked, standing in the doorway. Clarke nodded, “We may as well be prepared for anything.” Raven hummed her approval and moved out of the cabin with a resounding  _ bang _ of the door. 

 

“You need armor, right Octavia?” Clarke asked, sifting through her closet. She knew she had some old armor in here somewhere, it was just the task of...finding it. 

“What?” Was the resounding answer from the dark haired girl on the other side of the room. 

 

“You’re our third on this quest.” 

“What?” 

 

“You’re coming with us.” 

 

“What?” 

 

Clarke sighed heavily, stopping her search through the closet and turned to the other girl. “Look,” she started. “You’re the only one who has any information about these ‘Reaper’ guys. You’re damn quick on your feet. And, sorry but, I don’t trust you enough to leave you here by yourself.” She finished, moving back to the items in her closet.

 

Octavia nodded quickly, moving towards the blonde. She understood where the suspicion was coming from. She was half demon, raised by a furie in the underworld and only just escaped conveniently at the same time all this shit was going down. If her mother taught her anything, it was trust no one. 

 

“Yeah I could use some armor.” 

 

*** 

 

Half an hour passed quickly and soon enough, Raven was back in Cabin Thirteen trying to plot a course to get all the way to California. Clarke’s shadow travel ability really came in handy when you needed to travel cross country quickly. But it had a limit. And travelling with 2 extra passengers took an even bigger toll. And then she needed time to recover, a safe place where the demi god would essentially be passed out for a few days. 

 

Raven came up with the idea, but Clarke was NOT happy about it. Raven wanted the group to stop in Denver, Colorado. Clarke’s home town.

 

“I know you’re not exactly on good terms with your mom, Clarke. But, if you’re going to be passed out for a few days. Home seems like the best place to crash.” 

 

Octavia stayed off to the side while Raven and Clarke duked it out about where to stop, until eventually, Raven won. 

 

“Fine!” Clarke yelled, throwing on her coat aggressively and lifting her pack to her shoulder. “We can go crash with my  _ mother _ for a few days. But we are out of there the second I wake up!” 

 

And suddenly Clarke was grabbing onto both their arms, and the world faded to an inky black. 

  
  
  


**Six Years Ago…**

 

Wells Jaha is Clarke Griffins’ best friend. It was just a known fact around the town of Denver, Colorado. Or at least, in their neighborhood. The 13 year olds were practically attached at the hip, so it was no surprise to find them together today. The leaves crunched under Clarke’s feet as she walked side by side with Wells through the woods. The tranquil whistle of the wind through the trees is one of Clarkes favorite sounds. 

 

When Wells nervously took Clarke’s hand in his, she did nothing to stop him. She knew of the boys crush on her, everyone did. And it’s not that she didn’t love him, of course she did. He’s her best friend. But that was it. She saw him as a brother and knew nothing could really change that. But after the crazy week she’s been having, she didn’t want to let that comfort go. 

 

Weird things have been happening to the blonde since her 13th birthday last week, and the boy thought a walk in the woods would help calm the girl down. Clarke had been seeing things, people who weren’t actually there. Got attacked by a random civilian whose face kept shifting into a terrifying maw right before her eyes. Wells had been there to save her, thankfully but he didn’t look to happy afterwards. Telling her to wait in his kitchen while he stormed into his father’s study, fire in his eyes. 

Clarke couldn’t hear most of the conversation, but got the impression that Wells wanted someone to tell her something but his father flat out refused. 

 

“This is for her own safety!” Wells had screamed. 

“It’s not our decision to make.” His father had argued calmly back. 

 

So Wells kept his mouth shut, and made sure to stay near Clarke whenever he could. 

 

Yes, Wells knew what was going on with Clarke. She was a demi god, just like him. Well, he wasn’t technically a demigod. More like a fourth. His father was a demigod, a son of Ares. So while Wells wasn’t technically a demigod, he could see through the mist. It also helped that his father was the Director of Camp Half Blood, so he knew everything there is to know about demi gods. 

 

Unfortunately, Clarke was not the same way. Her mother refused to tell her daughter who she was, and it was putting her in danger. Usually, it wouldn’t happen this quickly. The daughter of a more minor god would not emit the senses Clarke did this soon after her 13th. But Clarke was a fucking  _ beacon _ for monsters. And not telling her, preparing her for what’s coming is putting his best friend in immense danger and he just wasn’t having it. 

 

So that’s why they were in the woods, far away from their over controlling parents. Wells was going to tell her, he had to. 

 

They reached a clearing, green grass sprawled out with little wildflowers dotting the edges. Tall, strong looking trees surrounded them, seeming to stretch on for miles. It was a beautiful little spot they had found together when they were younger and it seemed like the right place to explain to Clarke what was happening. 

 

“Clarke,” Wells stopped, the dark skinned boy releasing her hand and stepping in front of her. “There’s something I have to tell yo-” 

 

But he was cut off by a terrifying roar, and the leaves of the trees around them shaking as the earth quaked beneath them. Wells drew the dagger that was hidden in his coat pocket, stepping in front of Clarke protectively as the shaking of the earth grew closer. 

 

Then all of a sudden, a gigantic golden lion burst through the clearing. Landing gracefully opposite of where they stood. 

 

“The Nemean Lion,” Wells whispered, terrified of the beast that stood before him. A beast only Hercules himself could take down! Or Percy Jackson, but he had a team of friends to help him. All Wells has is a dagger and his blonde best friend who had literally no idea what was going on. 

 

“Run, Clarke!” Wells yelled, before charging at the beast. Which proved to be futile as the monster roared loudly, and swiped his giant paw at the boy; catching him in the chest and sending him flying into one of the trees surrounding them. And with a sickening snap, one that Clarke will never forget, the boy landed on the ground in an unmoving heap. 

 

“WELLS,” Clarke screamed in agony, not caring if it caught the beast's attention. Who was now stalking towards her slowly, a look of hunger in it’s eyes. Clarke stumbled back, falling to the ground as the lion got closer. The blonde back pedals, till she hits a tree, no where else to go. Her gaze switching between the maw of the lion to her fallen best friend. 

 

She could feel tears pricking to her eyes but she pushed them back. She would not cry, not now. She would die with dignity. Even if she had no idea how an honest to god gold lion was in Denver. The lion stalked closer, Clarke could smell its pungent breath on her face now and watched in near slow motion as it opened it’s mouth in one final roar before it pounced on her. 

 

But it never got the chance, because silver arrows were suddenly filling its open mouth. And the war cries of many woman streaking across the clearing. The lion stumbled once, a surprised look crossing it’s face before it poofed out of existence. Leaving behind a golden pelt in it’s place. 

 

Clarke’s eyes widened as woman filled the clearing, silver bows strapped to their backs and looks of pride on their faces. One of the women, who appears to be around 16 notices her first. She has shaggy black hair, and electric blue eyes and dressed like some sort of punk. She approaches the small blonde carefully, who’s eyes are out of focus and she’s shaking like a leaf. 

 

“Hey kid, are you okay? I’m Thalia and-” The girl starts, handing reaching out to comfort the girl but stops when her eyes snap into focus, blue clashing together. And the girl is up, sprinting desperately to the other side of the clearing. Where she collapses to her knees in front of the mangled body of a young boy. 

 

Clarke knows he’s dead, she does. But that doesn’t stop her from screaming his name and shaking his shoulder trying to wake him. The tears are flowing freely now, pouring down her face in streams. Grief consuming her as she pounds on his chest, trying anything to make him come back to her. 

 

She feels a hand on her shoulder and turns to find the punk again, her eyes shining with sadness. “He’s gone kid, i’m sorry.” But Clarke pushes her away, returning to Wells body. Her hands balling into the collar of his jacket. 

 

_ He can’t be dead. He can’t be dead. _ Clarke kept whispering to herself in denial.

And that’s when it started. 

 

A strong wind picked up, swirling around Clarke as a green aura surrounded her body. Black sparks shot out of her body, forcing Thalia to stumble backwards, her eyes wide with disbelief. The Hunters of Artemis watched in awe as the green aura grew with the blondes grief. 

 

Clarke didn’t know what was going on, and didn’t really care at this point. She felt a power surge through her but all she could think about was somehow getting her best friend back. 

 

“Kid, you have to stop!” She heard someone yell but it was too late, the energy around her surged and poured into the body in front of her. And to her disbelief, Wells opened his eyes. 

 

Except something wasn’t right. 

 

His eyes were milky and glassed over, and as he moved to sit up, his neck sat at an unhealthy angle. The clearing was silent, the only sound to be heard was the whistling of the wind in the trees. A noise Clarke once found comforting, but now felt like an omen of the bad that was yet to come. 

 

“Clarke, what did you do.” Wells said, breaking the stifling silence that had descended on them. His breath came out in wheezing pants, as his pain filled gaze landed on the blonde. 

 

“I-I…” Clarke stammered, trying to understand what was happening. But she couldn’t. She did this, she knew that for certain. But how, how could she possibly bring someone back from the dead. It defied all logic, it defied everything that her mother, the doctor, told her about the human body. 

 

“You need to release him, right now.” Thalia said in a stern voice, showing her maturity despite what her body showed. She understood the grief of losing a loved one all too well, but this was not how to deal with it. 

 

“I-I don’t know how.” Clarke stammered, never breaking eye contact with Wells. “I don’t understand what’s going on.” 

 

Thalia moved to speak, to explain to the girl what was happening but was stopped by a shaky hand of the boy. 

 

“That’s what I wanted to tell you, Clarke.” The boy rasped, obviously in pain from the less than textbook summoning. “Your mom didn’t want you to know and dad told me it was her decision but I knew you needed to know.” He started, trying to get Clarke to understand. “You’re a demigod, Clarke. It’s why all this weird stuff has been happening to you. What i’ve been trying to protect you from.” Wells lets out an empty laugh then, looking down towards his mangled body. “Rather unsuccessfully, I suppose.” 

Clarke lets out a watery smile, but it quickly falls as she watches Wells face scrunch up in pain. 

 

“You have to release him, Clarke.” Thalia started, kneeling down slowly next to the grief filled girl. “He’s in pain, you have to let him go. His soul isn’t meant for that body anymore.” The Hunter was trying to be as gentle about this as possible but what was happening right now was not right. His soul had moved on to the Underworld but it had been dragged forcefully back into a body that it wasn’t meant for. 

 

“I don’t know how,” the blonde said, agony dripping off her voice like a leaky faucet. She tried finding the mysterious power from earlier but came up with nothing. So she sat their watching her dead best friend try to hide the pain he was clearly in. Because of her. This was her fault, and it’ll haunt her for the rest of her life. 

 

“Then you’ll have to kill me,” Wells said quietly, handing Clarke his celestial bronze dagger that was still clutched in his hand. He could feel the rigor mortis kicking in but couldn’t bring himself to tell her. The pain he was feeling was agony, but he pushed it aside for Clarke's sake. He knew she was going to blame herself for this, and he wasn’t about to make it any harder on her. 

 

“No,” Clarke started, tears flowing down her face again. Her voice cracking, as she clutched onto the knife in grief. “I-I can’t, Wells, I can’t.” 

 

“You have to let me go, Clarke. I’m not meant to be here anymore.” 

 

The tears flowed even harder as the reality of the situation kicked in. She felt a steady hand land of hers and she looked up to find Thalia, a calm expression on her face. 

 

“I can do it for you, if you want.” 

 

But Clarke shook her head, knowing this was something she had to do. She got up and kneeled in front of Wells, throwing her arms around the boy. Clutching his knife in her left hand. 

 

“Don’t be scared, Clarke. I’ll always be with you. I love you.” He whispered to her, as he felt her shudder against him. Tears leaking into his shoulder. 

 

“I love you, too Wells.” 

 

And she plunged the knife into his back, killing him instantly. His body falling over in a newly lifeless heap, the light leaving his eyes.  And Clarke crumbled, falling to the ground. Tears flowed freely as she lay there, unmoving. Having just killed her best friend, again. She felt strong arms pick her up gently, moving her away from the body and whispering softly, 

 

“It’s going to be alright, kid.” 

 

*** 

 

It felt like they were being tugged in all different directions, the only thing keeping them both in place was the strong hand that clasped onto their arms like handcuffs. The world finally righted itself and they landed gracefully in a small backyard. Well, Clarke landed gracefully. Raven landed with a slight stumble, having shadow traveled before. And Octavia completely face planted in the grass, spitting dirt out of her mouth. 

 

The back door of the house banged open, an older woman with a shocking resemblance to Clarke stepped out. A taser sparking in her hand. 

 

“Clarke?!” The woman yelled, taser falling from her hand with a bang onto the steps. 

 

“Hey, Mom.” Clarke got out before the exhaustion of shadow travel hit, and she collapsed to the ground. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there we go! Okay, I swear to god we're almost to some clexa action. The reason this whole chapter was about Clarke is because I need to move her along faster to make sure they come together. We're almost there. I promise. (Cause believe me I can't wait much longer either.)  
> Reviews and kudos help me write faster. Just saying.  
> If you ever want a more direct outlet to come yell at me hit me up on tumblr at goddammitlexa


	5. The Feeling's Mutual

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Raven and Octavia have an awkward chat and two people finally "meet" again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just get past the angst, I swear to god it will be worth it. Promise.

The silence was...stifling. 

 

Raven knows Clarke has not stepped foot in this house for almost six years. The blonde never forgave her mother for Wells’ death. Although it was not directly her fault, her anger over her mother keeping the knowledge that she was a demigod to herself, she believed, led to his death. They never would have been in the woods that day, she wouldn’t have been completely defenseless against the Nemean Lion, even if they were. She could have kept them both alive until the Hunters of Artemis came to the rescue. “I could have done...something.” Clarke had said, when she finally explained to Raven why she wanted to become a full time camper when they were 14. 

The way Clarke’s eyes shined with pain and grief in that moment, made Raven’s heart break for the girl. Her shoulders slumped, hands curled into fists to stop them from shaking. But she took a deep breath, and when she looked back up, her face was blank. She took the time to explain that, now that she knew she was the daughter of one of the Big Three, she couldn’t put her mother in constant danger like that. Even through all the anger she held towards her the woman, she still put her mother’s safety over everything else. And Raven learned two things that day about Clarke Griffin. 

That Clarke loved with all her heart but could compartmentalize like no one’s business. And that that girl could hold a damn grudge. 

 

So sitting in the presence of Abby Griffin was awkward to say the least. 

 

Octavia sat on the couch next to Raven, shifting uncomfortably every few seconds. Not only was the silence getting to her but her demon senses were tingling. Being the daughter of a Furie gave her an enhanced sense for grudges and anger. And she could feel the waves of anger rolling off of Raven like a vicious tide. Every particle of her being was telling her to enact revenge on the woman in front of her, but she did her best to keep a lid on it because she didn’t know what was going on. 

 

“So…” Abby started, shifting in the chair across from them. The house they were in wasn’t huge, but it wasn’t small. There was a small fireplace on one wall and another was lined with old photos of Clarke and Abby. There were another few with Clarke, and who Raven assumed was Wells. They looked happy, Raven sighed. 

 

“Look,” Raven said, not one for small talk. “We’re here because Clarke needed a safe place to rest after using her shadow travel. We’re on a quest and it’s important. That’s all I can say.” She knew their quest wasn’t exactly top secret, but she knew enough about the woman that if she deemed it too dangerous, she would try to stop them. 

 

Abby stayed quiet for a moment, before nodding slightly. “How long do you think you’ll be here?” She asked, and Raven could hear the hope in her voice. She didn’t want to hurt the woman but she knew Clarke would be out of here the second she could. 

 

“A few days at most.” She said, and Abby's face fell a bit. She’s only seen her daughter in short Iris messages over the past few years. And they weren’t exactly heart to hearts. More like clipped one word answers like, “Fine.” “Okay.” “Nothing.” Her daughter has grown so much, practically an adult, without her. And now she was finally home, only to be passed out in her old room from exhaustion. 

 

“Well, you’re welcome to stay here as long as you need.” Abby said, standing slowly. “Now would either of you like a drink?” 

 

*** 

 

Wind whistled over Clarke’s head, grabbing pieces of her hair and flinging them across her face. The sky, dark and stormy above her. A feeling of dread filled the air, but there was something else there too. Something familiar, but far off that the blonde just couldn't place.  

 

Clarke spun on her heel, turning to examine her surroundings. Trying to figure out where she was. She stood on a cobblestone pathway, that stones looked like they’d been scorched under serious fire. Some even tore out of the path and scattered about. The path was bordered by walls similar to the path, and surrounded by tall trees, whose branches bent and cracked against the storm. It continued out into the darkness, disappearing into the blackness as lightning flashed in the distance. Showing a familiar city skyline towering over the treetops. 

 

‘Is this New York City?’ Clarke thought to herself, confusion taking up a solid place in her brain. The blonde couldn’t recall how she got here or why, but something was definitely off about this place. She closed her eyes and clasped her hands together, attempting to center herself when she heard a noise on the path behind her. 

Her eyes shot open and she spins towards the sound, to find a figure walking up the beaten stone. 

Or more like, limping. They slowly draw closer, head down, each step looking like agony. They’re clutching their chest tightly, head bent to the side. He, Clarke assumes from the muscular build of the person in front of her, stops a few feet away and slowly raises his head. 

 

And Clarke is looking into the distorted gaze of Wells Jaha. He looked the way he did that day 6 years ago, and Clarke’s heart ached with the loss, like it was yesterday. Guilt flared across her at the thought of him, but that was nothing new. But something was terribly wrong this time.  His eyes glowing a bright rusted gold, black ooze dripping from his neck and chest.  A snarl spread across his lips as he screamed that same glass shattering shriek that Adam had. 

 

Clarke stumbles back from him in surprise, her foot catching an upturned stone and she falls to the ground. Wells gaze settles on her prone form and lets out another shriek before he charges towards her. 

 

***

Lexa’s running, she doesn’t quite know why, or what from but she knows she has to keep running. Her brown hair whips behind her as she takes a sharp turn past a large boulder. The forest she’s in is dense, visibility is very low with no help from the moon because of the large storm clouds in the sky.  

 

The ground underneath her boots is loose and slick, probably from a recent shower. And while Lexa does enjoy a good rain shower, it was making it increasingly difficult to continue her escape from… whatever she was running from. Mud clung to her boots and pants as branches seemed to find their way in front of her. She could feel that her shoulders and arms were already riddled with small cuts and scrapes from the branches that caught her. 

Not the best choice to wear a sleeveless tunic I suppose. She thinks to herself as she continues her sprint. Her breath is coming out in huffs, and she contemplates taking a small breather but decides against it. Knowing she’s only running on pure adrenaline at this point and if she stops, she’ll stop for good. 

 

There’s a booming crack behind her, as a tree gives way under enormous pressure. A pair of thunderous footsteps following, shaking the ground as they gain on the dark haired girl. She picks up the pace, and suddenly bursts into a clearing. Up ahead there’s a large cliff overlooking more forest. She can now see the dark storm clouds over head, more light being available from getting out from beneath the cover of the trees. 

Lexa knows it’s a bad idea, but she can’t shake the feeling that the cliff is where she needs to go. 

 

‘Goodbye sanity, hello halo jump.’

 

And with the footsteps getting louder behind her, she doesn’t think twice as she lets out a deadly battle cry, sprints to the edge, and jumps. 

 

*** 

 

The wind picked up as Wells charged, Clarke scrambling back but to no avail as Wells is already on top of her. The warped claws on his hand slice down towards her neck, bringing her inevitable end. But just as they reach the blonde, Wells image turns to smoke and fizzles away. Like he was never there. Clarke looks around, her chest heaving with strain. 

 

He’s gone. 

 

But her moment of peace doesn’t last long when suddenly smokey images start to flit by her. More of those things, whatever Adam was, rush past her. Angry moans leaving their mouths as they pass by, paying her no mind. Then unfamiliar campers are running past, only few making it past her as most are shot down by… other campers? They hold their bows at the ready on the other side of the path, a disturbingly happy smile on their faces as they notch another set of arrows to take down the stragglers. 

 

Clarke tries to get up, to move, to help but she can’t. She can’t move at all, she looks down to find metal chains clasping onto her body, holding her captive. Making her watch as the remain campers are shot down. The wind starts to blow harder, rain pouring down in buckets as children are marched in front of her. Clarke didn’t know these kids, except for one, the newest demigod Kane and his satyrs had brought into the camp. He was only 8 years old. A child's innocence still shone in his eyes as he stared at the man, who was forcing him to his knees, in confusion. Clarke blanched when the man looked up, and Clarke found Thelonious Jaha standing in front of the chained innocent boy. 

  
  


Clarke struggles against her chains, but it’s no use. She screams as loud as she can, but it’s clear no one can hear her. Jaha is already lifting a sword to the child’s neck, an eerie smile on his face. But before he can do anything the oldest looking boy speaks up. He has blonde hair and a dark cut across his face. This kid was a fighter. “Take me instead.” He says bravely, no emotions passing his face. 

 

But before Jaha can respond, Monty comes running up the path. Stumbling and falling next to Clarke, his eyes wide with fear and disbelief. The young Satyr has seen better days, his clothes torn, blood ebbing from a cut on his check. 

 

The wind is gusting by now, rain splashing down on the cobblestone harshly forming a mist across the ground. The cold droplets leaving a sting on Clarke’s face. Jasper steps into view now, his misty image sporting a disturbing smile as he levels a crossbow towards Monty’s chest. “You should have taken the chip, Monty.” He says calmly as he puts his finger on the trigger to end his best friends life. 

 

“Jasper, no!” Clarke frantically yells, tears springing to her eyes, knowing they won’t be able to hear her. But to her surprise Jasper stops, but so does everyone else. Their heads all turning in sync, gazes boring into the blonde as they all step towards her. Even the bodies that litter the ground look up at her, surrounding her. 

 

“Take the chip, Clarke. You can not win.” They all say in unison, creating a disturbing chorus of emotionless voices. They keep repeating that phrase, over and over, as they slowly get closer. Clarke is terrified, thrashing against her chains frantically. The metal digging into her skin painfully, but she took no notice. Bodies were approaching from all around, getting closer and closer. “You can’t win. You can’t win.” 

 

Jaha bends to his knees, reaching forward with his blade towards her neck. Why is this happening? Clarke kept thinking, her eyes flitting back and forth to find a way to escape but she knew it was futile. She’s a child of Hades she shouldn’t be afraid of death, yet here she is, completely terrified as she watches the blade lower. She can feel the cold metal of the blade press against her neck, when a battle cry screams across the path. 

 

A muddy dark haired girl jumps out of the tree line, landing in a crouch on one knee. And as her boots hit the ground, everything blew away, stilled and all that was left on that path was a chained Clarke and the other woman. The blonde examined the oddly familiar woman. Her boots and pants were matted in a serious layer of mud, but it couldn’t hide the toned calves underneath the black jeans. Muscles rippled underneath a sleeveless tunic and she watched as the woman moved her hair to the side to pick a nasty twig out of her hair that must have gotten caught when she burst through the trees. And Clarke spotted a very familiar incomplete infinity symbol sewn into the back of the tunic.  _ It… It couldn’t be _ , she thought, shaking her head.  _ There’s no way…  _

 

_ Just nailed that super hero landing. _ Lexa thought, standing back up from her crouch. The fall was… much shorter than she had expected. But she certainly wasn’t complaining that she didn’t plummet to her death. After picking a nasty twig out of her hair, she started to brush herself off as best she could. 

 

“Hey!” Someone called from behind her, “A little help here!” And Lexa froze. Her brain stalling at the sound of their voice. The Commander feared nothing, needed no one, being the Commander meant standing alone but Lexa Woods? Lexa Woods was a damn different story. It’s been 4 years but she would never forget that voice. 

 

The brunette stiffly turned around to find  _ her  _ chained to the ground. She was soaked, her blonde hair sticking to her face, cheeks red from the cold. Green eyes clashed with blue as Lexa sucked in a deep breath and walked over to the prone girl. Dumbly reaching for her celestial bronze dagger, moving to cut the chains off of the girl. Not even realizing that a dagger should not be able to cut chains, or that when the dagger touched they shattered out of existence. 

 

Clarke quickly sat up after being released, but didn’t move away from the girl in front of her who had yet to raise her head. Lexa was staring at the dagger in her hand, too afraid to look up.  _ What a coward you are Woods, _ she thought, _ not able to look at the girl you couldn’t get out of your head for 4 years. _ A warm hand being pressed against her cheek snapped her from her thoughts, moving her chin up to make eye contact with the blue eyed beauty in front of her. 

 

“Lexa?” Clarke whispered quietly, her hand not dropping from Lexa’s face. Instead slowly dragging her thumb across her cheekbone, gently. Like the brunette might disappear if she pushes too hard. 

 

“Clarke.” Lexa said, her voice clicking over the ‘K’. Letting the name drop softly from her lips, like it was some kind of sacred phrase. 

 

They sat there for a moment, just drinking in each other's presence. It was odd, how much they were feeling at the moment because in reality they’ve only spent about a week together in total. And most of that time, Lexa was out of it. But something just, it felt right. Like being in each other's presence finally made the other feel whole. Like their souls were reaching out to one another. 

Neither of them would voice such things because, even if gods and demons exist, even this sounded a bit crazy. Or, just a tad stereotypical lesbian u-haul syndromey.  

 

Clarke eventually broke the calm silence when she glanced down to see Lexa still clutching her dagger in her right hand. 

 

“You kept my dagger,” the blonde says, smiling gently at the brunette. The corner of Lexa’s lips rise in a smirk, which Clarke found super hot, by the way, but didn’t want to ruin the moment with super gay thoughts. 

“And you kept my coat.” She replies, looking Clarke’s sitting form up and down. Deciding the jacket looked amazing on her. Also totally not checking out her boobs, that didn’t happen. Clarke laughs, a noise Lexa wants to hear more of, she decides. 

 

“Of course I did, someone I care about gave it to me.” 

 

Lexa feels her heart rate pick up with that last comment. Her smirks widens into a slightly toothy smile when she says; “She sounds amazing, will you introduce us sometime?” 

 

Clarke lets out another laugh as she drops her hand from Lexa’s cheek to punch her in the shoulder. “Whoever said it was a she?” The blonde asks jokingly, her blue eyes shining with mirth. 

Lexa quickly grasps Clarke retreating hand and moves it to her lap, playing with her fingers lightly. “Just a feeling,” she says. Watching their fingers push and pull against one another. 

 

Another beat of comfortable silence passes between them, Lexa continues playing with Clarke’s fingers. Clarke content to spend the calm moment with the woman. After everything she just witnessed, she really should be scared shitless but with Lexa here, she felt safe. Secure. Clarke subtly shifts closer to the other woman, only for body heat of course. Come on, she was just stuck in the rain! It was definitely not just because she wanted to be closer to Lexa. 

 

The brunette breaks the silence a moment later, head still down watching their hands play. 

“Why does this feel so natural?” Lexa asked quietly, like if she says it too loud it will break the spell and Clarke will run. “We barely know each other, and yet I feel like I would take on the world for you.” She speaks that last part so softly that if Clarke wasn’t right next to her, she would have missed it. Lexa feels a warm breath near her face and looks up, only to find Clarke’s face an inch from hers. Her eyes were even bluer up close and it was beautiful. She was beautiful. Lexa’s breath quickened as she watched Clarke’s eyes flit from her’s to her lips. The earth was still for a moment, the only thing that mattered was this. Clarke started to lean in and to Lexa it felt like it took an eternity but also happened so quickly. 

 

“The feeling’s mutual.” Clarke spoke softly, before closing the gap between their lips. 

 

Lexa couldn’t believe this was happening. The kiss was cautious, their lips moving together at a tantalizingly slow pace. Lexa moving her right hand to curl into Clarke’s soft blonde hair, Clarke’s left hand moving to her neck. The brunette decided right then and there, that kissing Clarke was one of her new favorite activities. 

 

Kissing Lexa was different than kissing a boy, or hell even kissing another girl. Clarke’s done both in her life but, gods, nothing could compare to kissing Lexa. It was like she found something she didn’t know she was missing. 

 

They pulled apart soon enough, their breaths huffing against each other. And they start to lean in again when a piercing scream cuts through the night.

 

And Clarke shoots out of bed, to find herself in her old room. Her breath comes out in pants as she clutches the comforter to her chest as fear spikes through her body. 

 

“Lexa,” she breathes out to the darkness. 

 

*** 

“Clarke!” Lexa yells, waking up in a panic. Scaring the absolute shit out of Anya, who was sitting next to her on the couch trying to finish the movie Lexa had so rudely fallen asleep in the middle of. The brunette was breathing deeply, clutching her chest. Her eyes searched the room frantically for someone. 

“Woah, woah.” Anya says, placing a reassuring hand on Lexa’s shoulder. Trying to get her to calm down. “What happened?” 

Lexa turns to her, not noticing the tear streaking down her face. And says,

“I...I’m not sure.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there we go! Chapter 5! I really wanted to write a happy scene because I feel like i've really been putting you all through the ringer with the angst. So this is me paying you all back a bit. I really hope you liked my first clexa scene ever. @ JRott pretty sure I can write Clexa better than you, where's   
> my tv producer job?  
> Come yell at me to write faster on tumblr at goddammitlexa


	6. What's In The Past Is...Something We're Still Angry About

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took so long because I suck and kept getting distracted. I also write this completely by myself so. Well, have fun.

Clarke finally waking up was a god send to the cranky mechanic. The past two days have been the longest of her life, and she was ready to get the hell out of the Griffin household. It wasn’t the resentment Raven held towards the elder Griffin that rubbed off on her because of Clarke, or the constant nagging about when Clarke would wake up. No. Ravens problem was with  _ Octavia.  _

 

The girl is…distracting. 

 

Honestly, she must have ADHD, or something because, that girl is a ball of energy. 

The frustrated mechanic understood that the girl didn’t get much human interaction when she was growing up. Trapped under the floorboards of a house in Tartarus, for 16 years, really doesn’t sound like the lap of luxury. (And who even knew they had houses in Tartarus?) But the 24/7 togetherness was really getting to her. She always wanted to spar, or take a walk, or have Raven explain to her how an iPad works, and why she was flinging birds at buildings to knock them over. Because that wasn’t a very good battle strategy at all. (Angry Birds? Who even has that game anymore? Really Abby?) Whenever she was tinkering with something, Octavia would be there. She never really spoke much then though, just sitting there watching. Asking the occasional question in her stupid, sexy voice, that may have made Raven completely forget the answer to the question. 

 

It’s not that Raven has a crush on her,  _ pst nah brah… You did not just think that Reyes.  _ She is just very pretty, the mechanic can admit that to herself. And when sweat is glistening off her skin from a particularly lengthy spar its- 

_ Nope.  _ Raven thinks,  _ don’t even go down that road. Yeah, she’s hot but she’s also 16 and is practically a mole woman shut in and knows as much about the world today as Kimmy Schmidt. She’s practically a puppy, leave it alone Reyes.  _

And so she does, albeit it’s harder than she initially thought it would be. With Octavia being the only person to talk to, she is kind of hard to avoid. But Raven did learn a few new things during Clarke's intense power nap. Like Octavia could inflict temporary madness on people when she got angry. Which, scary, but fucking cool. A little gift from being half furie. She also has a brother named Bellamy somewhere, who doesn’t know she exists. In return, Raven tells her about her shitty mom. Joyce Reyes. An abusive alcoholic, who liked her liquor more than her daughter. The mechanic has got a fun scar on her right shoulder from when she learned that lesson. Hephaestus had told her once that she didn’t used to be like that, but, she was now and that’s all that mattered. It’s why Raven stays at camp full time. 

 

“The best avoidance tactic in the biz,” Raven said, “Being half god.” The mechanic chuckled softly to herself, not trying to give into her own self pity. Or anger. She could feel it building like it usually does, the anger and frustration towards her mother. But she choked it down, she’s gotten very good at compartmentalizing tough emotions. It’s practically second nature at this point.  _ Push it down, tell a joke and smile. Nothing affects you, Robot Reyes.  _

Sitting in Clarke’s room late at night, talking about emotions really wasn’t the way she saw this trip going. Raven fiddled with her brace absently, the fact that Octavia had not responded to her story was making her slightly anxious. The room was quiet until the sound of footsteps reached her ears. Octavia’s knees came into Ravens field of view as the younger girl stopped in front of her. Placing a hand on her shoulder, the girl kneeled down in front of her, catching Raven’s eyes with her own. 

 

Raven almost moved back when their eyes locked, Octavia’s stare so intense it was starting to make her feel uncomfortable. But she held her ground, not understanding what was happening, but not backing down. 

And then Raven saw it, Octavia’s green eyes shifting black for a moment. Fear pierced her body for a moment until she felt what could only be described as a wave of calm floating over her. Octavia’s hand was warm on her shoulder, slightly glowing orange as the wave continued between them. 

 

“Wh- What.. What are you doing?” Raven said, never breaking eye contact with the younger girl. Octavia smiled warmly, retracting her hand as the wave rescinded. “Just syphoning some of that anger you’re holding in. I don’t know if you’re aware, but you hold a lot of resentment towards your mom.” The younger girl shifts slightly, a lock of hair falling into her face and Raven feels the immense urge to push it back into place but refuses to give into the impulse. Octavia continues, completely oblivious to Ravens mental plight. 

 

“I could feel it from the other side of the room. So I thought I might help out. Do you feel better?” She asked, still kneeling in front of the mechanic. To be honest, Raven hasn’t felt this calm in ages. She nods, amazed at the girl in front of her, who smiles and moves to stand up again. But she stumbles tiredly into Raven, the older girl quickly catching her in her arms. 

 

“Sorry,” Octavia says, laughing tiredly. “Guess I haven’t been practicing the old demon skills as much as usual. That trick really took it out of me.” 

Raven just nods, neither girl moving from the position. The room quiet and still. 

 

And that’s how Clarke finds them, jolting awake with Lexa’s name on her tongue, clutching the comforter to her body in fear. Octavia and Raven freeze, watching the blonde examine her surroundings. Clarke finally realizes where she is and her eyes lock on the pair, confusion screwing up her eyebrows. And the first thing Clarke says in 2 days is, 

 

“What the fuck are you two doing?” 

 

***

It takes Clarke only a minute to get her bearings together after the rude awakening from her dream. Octavia and Raven have since scrambled apart, awkward mumblings filled the air for a moment until they’re separated and the room falls quiet again. 

 

“So,” Raven starts, the flustered mechanic now sitting at Clarke’s old desk. Octavia’s on the small couch on the other side of the room. Her room hasn’t changed at all since she left, Clarke notices. 

 

_ Well, it’s a bit cleaner.  _

 

But nothing has really moved, it’s like she’s been transported back to when she was 13. When she and Wells would hang out on the couch and talk about whatever was on their minds. Or sit on either side of the small table in front of it and play chess for hours. A small smile reaches Clarke’s face at the memory, but is quickly washed away as anger and guilt corrupt the memory. 

_ I never did beat him.  _ The blonde thinks, feeling tears prick to her eyes as she stares at the table woefully. She knows she try to forgive her mother, should have been trying all these years but she just can’t find it in herself to do it. How can you forgive someone for keeping something like that from her? Especially when it put people in danger, it put  _ her own daughter _ in danger. And it got someone killed. Someone who was just trying to do the right thing. 

All for what? To keep Clarke safe? To keep her from her convoluted ‘destiny’? 

Well, it didn’t help one bit. 

But as the anger is raising up again inside her, it is quickly quelled by guilt. Images start to flash through her mind. Of Wells’ being flung, glassed over eyes, the maw of a lion and swirling green energy. 

Jaha blamed her for his son’s death, he didn’t even know about the resurrection, but he was right. Jaha may be camp director now, and he has to treat her like any other camper. Clarke knows he will never forgive her for Wells’ death. 

Pain shot through Clarke’s chest, her breathing too fast. _ Wells  _

 

_ It was all my fault, all my fault. _

_ “Why did you let this happen, Clarke?!” Thelonious yelled, grief and anger polluting his voice. “That was my son! My son!” The large man reached for her, gripping tightly onto her upper arms, too tightly. Clarke squirmed in his grasp, looking around wildly for an escape route.  _

 

“Clarke..? Clarke!” Raven yells, jumping up from her seat and rushing to the blonde. Octavia following suit.  The blonde had woken up a moment ago, and seemed to be fine. Until she took a look around, and her eyes glassed over and everything went downhill. Octavia tries shaking the poor girl lightly, to snap her out of it. “No! Stop!” Raven yells. 

 

_ Jaha starts to shake her, the larger man gripping onto her shoulders with a vice like grip. “He was the only one I had left, Clarke! The only one! This is your fault you Big Three brat!”   _

_ “I- I didn’t-”  _

_ “SHUT UP!”  _

_ And Clarke is on the ground, her cheek aching as her former surrogate father stands above her. Staring down at the blonde in disbelief. He reaches down to try to help the girl up, regret in his eyes that he let his anger get the better of him.  _

 

Raven wraps an arm around Clarke carefully, whispering soothing things to her and reminding her to breath. Octavia watches in awe of the mechanic, who has obviously dealt with this before. That she has someone close enough to know how to help her through this. 

But Clarke soon starts to thrash out of Raven’s grip, mumbling “no, no!” under her breath. 

 

_ Then Thelonious is helping her up, holding her arm gently. And whispering “I’m sorry.” desperately to the girl. Pleading with her not to tell anyone what just happened. But Clarke starts trashing to get out of his grip. “No, no! Mom! Mom!” She yells, trying to get away from the man who just hit her. But he holds fast, his grip soon turning aggressive again to keep hold of the thrashing girl.  _

 

“Can’t you do that siphon thing to Clarke?!” Raven yells, trying to keep the girls trashing under control so she doesn’t hurt herself. Raven has seen this happen before, Clarke waking up from a dream about her friend and having a less than stellar reaction. But this was worse, this was much worse and Raven was at a loss of what to do. 

Octavia snaps out of her trance of watching the blonde girl, and looks up, shocked. 

“I’ll-i’ll try.” And Octavia carefully places her hand on the tossing girls shoulder, her hand glowing orange as she’s overcome with the emotions the blonde is feeling. Trying to siphon them off as best she can. 

 

_ Then Abby is rushing into the room, worrying splayed across her face as she hears her daughter calling her. Her daughter who hasn’t spoken a word to her since that Thalia girl brought her home.  _

_ “What’s going on in here?!” She yells, her daughter breaking from Jaha’s grasp and running to her, a red print on her face.  _

_ But Jaha looks calm and collected, so much different than the mask of rage the young blonde had seen.  _

_ “I found Clarke in here slapping herself. She must have been overcome with grief over my sons death, she took to hurting herself. I simply stepped in to stop her from further harm.” The lie slipped easily past his tongue, his eyes revealing nothing but a simmering sadness.  _

_ “No!” Clarke yelled, “He hit me and pushed me to the ground!” But it was no good, they didn’t believe her.  _

_ “Oh Clarke,” Abby said, sorrow in her voice. “You don’t ever have to resort to self harm. Just talk to me, sweetie.” The doctor tries to corral her into a hug but is pushed away by a, now, very angry blonde. Clarke starts screaming, accusing the man of the things she knew he did but everyone was convinced he didn’t. Even her own mother. But the memory is fading to a soft orange and Clarke is being lulled out of her vision. The last thing she hears is Jaha’s deep intimidating voice saying, “Don’t tell anyone what happened here.”  _

 

And Clarke’s vision finally clears, blinking to clear her vision she finds herself in Raven’s arms. The mechanics slightly exhausted breaths on her neck, and a very tired looking Octavia sprawled out on the bed next to her. 

 

“Good, it worked.” Raven said thankfully. “She has returned.”

Pressing a kiss into the crown of Clarke’s head, Raven moves her arm to start running soothing strokes up and down Clarke’s back. “You okay there, Griffin? That hasn’t happened in a long time.” 

Clarke leans into the mechanics body, letting out a deep sigh. “It must be the room.” She responds quietly, working on getting her breathing under control by matching Raven’s strokes on her back. They sit there quietly, giving each other a moment of peace. After a beat, Octavia reaches for Clarke’s right hand, feeling the callouses from training and drawing. “You have a lot going on up there, Clarke.” 

The blonde chooses to say nothing, her silence answered any questions the dark haired girl might have. 

 

“Octavia has a nifty little power that let’s her siphon negative energy.” Raven says, Clarke not missing the way Raven smiles fondly down at the girl that is still playing with her hand. 

“I’m sorry you had to see that, Octavia.” The blonde says. 

 

Octavia looks up, catching Clarke’s gaze, her eyes taking a serious tint. 

“I know we don’t really know each other that well, Clarke. But i’m here for you if you need me.” 

Clarke smiles softly at the girl and whispers, “Thank you.” Before the other girl nods and lays back down. 

 

And they sit there, how long none of them really know. Just Raven running her hand up and down Clarke’s back and Octavia playing with the fingers of her hand. Raven starts humming something, and before they know it, they can hear birds waking up outside. 

“I’m assuming you don’t want to talk to your mom.” Raven asks, getting up from the bed and stretching out and adjusting her brace.

“You know me so well, Reyes.” Clarke responds, quickly throwing on a pair of dark jeans and a clean shirt before tucking into her boots and jacket. The familiar weight settling comfortingly on the blonde’s shoulders. She straps her sword to her back and before she knows it, the three of them are creeping quietly through the Griffin household. Trying not to make a sound. They’re almost free when an angry voice behind them says, 

 

“Where do you think you’re going?” 

 

*** 

 

Aden Kar is a little shit. 

 

The 14 year old, son of Mendacius, certainly took after his father; Having a cunning aptitude for trickery. Even has the uncanny ability to mimic any voice he hears. And that’s how he came striding into Lexa’s heavily guarded room in the Polis Tower. The Polis Tower being the center of New Rome, housing the council chambers, trading floor and the Commander herself. To say it’s heavily guarded is actually a bit of an understatement, it’s practically a fortress. So for Aden to just casually stroll in, a pleased smile on his face, was a major break in security… If it was anyone else besides him. 

 

Nightbloods had been a rare commodity for decades before Lexa came along, no Commander had risen for years. But finally, when Lexa ascended to Heda four years ago, they started appearing again. No one knew why, or how, but they weren’t questioning it. As long as they had someone to carry the flame, to guide them, they would not look down upon this gift from the Gods. Aden had been one of the first to appear, and also one of the most promising. Lexa firmly believed the Spirit of the Commander would choose him when she died. 

 

“So, how did you do it this time?” Lexa asks, glancing over her shoulder at the blonde boy who was now lounging in a recliner on the other side of the room, eyes closed, enjoying the sunlight filtering through the windows. Lexa loved to see him like this, relaxed and safe, no burdens of leadership on his shoulders. That would change when he gets older, hopefully he’ll keep the same attitude through it all. 

 

“Came in through the staff entrance, rode up in the dumb waiter and barked some angry orders using Indra’s voice to get the guards away from your door.” He said, eyes still closed, looking mighty pleased with himself. “The guards must have been terrified.” Lexa said, watching the boys face turn into a smirk. “Oh you have no idea.” 

 

Lexa hummed, entertained, and went back to packing for her mission. They left at first light tomorrow and she wanted to be prepared. They honestly didn’t know what was in stake for them, and her visit to the Sibyls didn’t help her worries at all. She couldn’t place where she had heard the prophecy before, but the weird sense of deja vu wouldn’t leave her mind. Like a half forgotten dream just dangling out of reach. And the actual dream she had the night before didn’t help much either. 

 

_ Clarke, _ Lexa says to herself. Packing, and Aden, forgotten as she goes over every aspect of the dream. The beast chasing her, jumping to her certain death. And then landing next to Clarke.  _ It felt so real, but i’d be too hopeful to think it was a sign. But the prophecy does mention- _

Before Lexa could continue her idea, she’s snapped out of her train of thought by Aden. Who is now in front of her, waving his hand in front of her face. The Commander blinks, pushing the thought of blond hair and soft lips out of her mind. 

 

“Heda?” Aden asks, worry leaking into his tone. He tries his best to school his emotions, but Lexa is like his older sister and he can’t help but be concerned. “Are you alright?” 

 

Lexa blinks again, composing her face into a mask of indifference. Mentally scolding herself for becoming so distracted. “Yes, i’m fine Aden.” She says, before giving him a small smile. He beams back, knowing Lexa’s smiles are few and far between, but his eyes flit downwards towards her waist then look back up, his smile turning sly. 

 

“You’re doing it again.” He says, looking down again. Lexa gives him a confused glance before she looks down herself. And he’s right, she is doing it again. Apparently, while she had been off in her head, her hand had rested in its favorite place. The bronze dagger at her waist. Her thumb slowly caressing the lion etched into the base. 

 

Not letting any emotions cross her face, Lexa stared down at the young boy. He was a curious little shit, he really was. But having Anya know about her apparent weakness was bad enough, the young trickster would just add more flames to the fire. So she decides to quickly change the subject.

 

“While i’m gone, I want you on your best behavior. No pranking Gustus, leave Titus alone, no sending Indra on wild goose chases. And  _ please _ , no late night archery contests. You almost took off one of the other Nightblood’s head.” Lexa says, letting her Commander voice slip into her tone to let Aden know she was serious. That archery contest really hadn’t ended well last time. 

 

Aden was a smart kid, he knew the dagger had some sort of significance to his Heda but could never get the elusive ‘why’ out of his stoic leader. And he knew she was purposefully changing the subject, but, being the smart kid he is; he decided to let it go. Lexa would tell him eventually. Or at least he hoped she would. 

 

“Fine, fine.” Aden said, moving back towards the door. “You take the fun out of everything.” 

 

Lexa scoffs lightly, moving back towards her now full pack. “I wouldn’t have to if you would just stop getting in so much trouble.” 

Aden just laughs as he walks out the door, but pauses in the doorway. Glancing back at the older girl as she gazes at her personal weapons rack, mulling over what she could need. 

“Lexa?” He says quietly, causing the brunette to turn towards him. “Be safe, okay?” 

She nods slowly, Adens’ concern for her bringing a small smile to her face and says, “I will.” 

The blonde smiles back and throws open the doors and steps out. Lexa chuckles softly when his action brings about a chorus of, “How did you get in there?!!” from her guards.” 

 

But her face quickly sobers, looking over her equipment once more. 

 

She had a mission to do. 

 

***

 

Abby did not take their attempted late night escape too nicely. The older woman was furious that her daughter, after not seeing her in person for over six years, would have just ran out without even a goodbye. But Clarke was furious right back, her crystal blue eyes sparking in anger as she stares down her mother. 

 

Octavia and Raven watch from a few feet away, as Clarke throws sharp words at the elder Griffin. The anger in the room making Octavia shift from foot to foot nervously. 

 

“You kept who I was from me, mom!” Clarke yelled, Abby’s face white as she takes the onslaught from Clarke. “You put me, and everyone around me, in danger, all because you knew they would have to take me away from you!” Abby looks like she was about to say something, but Clarke quickly cuts her off. 

 

“I can’t forgive someone so selfish.” 

 

That snaps Abby’s head back up, heat returning to her eyes. 

“I was doing it to protect you!” She yells, taking a snap towards the angry blonde, only for her to take a step back herself. “Thelonious said that if you weren’t aware of your parentage, that you’d be less of a target.” 

But that doesn’t help to calm down the angry blonde, in fact, it makes her seethe with rage. 

 

“Speaking of Thelonious!” Clarke yelled, pointing a finger intimidatingly at Abby. “He hit me, at Wells’ funeral. Blamed me for his death. He hit me, and shoved me to the ground and you didn’t believe me! You helped get my best friend killed, and defended my abuser.” 

Clarke has now stepped into Abby’s personal space, finger still pointed at the guilty woman. 

 

“AND when I tried to get to camp, to protect the people around me, to become stronger and learn to control my powers. You! Trapped me in this house! Wouldn’t let me leave. Desperately begged me to stay because ‘you belong here’ and ‘I can protect you.’” 

 

Abby starts backing up, away from her daughter now. Guilt and fear swirling in her eyes as Clarke follows, her voice raising even louder. 

 

“Well, guess who you couldn’t protect Mom?! You couldn’t protect me! You couldn’t protect little Chloe Reynolds down the street, who was only 8 years old when she was  _ killed  _ to get to me! All because I was still here! Because you kept me trapped here! Fuck! It’s a good thing Kane showed up for who knows what would have happened!” 

 

Clarke spins on her heel, grabbing Octavia and Ravens wrists and storms out of the house into the front yard. Abby following after quickly. 

It’s very early in the morning, but Clarke doesn't’ care. They’re getting to San Francisco now. The blonde spins on her heel, catching her mother's guilty gaze from the front porch. It looks like she’s about to say something but is quickly cut off by her daughter. 

“Just…” Clarke pauses, taking a deep breath and letting it out. “Just don’t.” 

  
And the shadows take the three girls, leaving Abby alone on the front porch. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There ya go! Sorry for all the angst, Clarke is just a little angst filled child of hades. I'm not sure how well I pulled off Clarke's panic attack/ptsd scene about Wells but I tried my best. I estimate either 1 or 2 chapters till Clexa finally meet. I know it's taking a while but it's coming I promise!   
> Check out my demi god au tag on tumblr at goddammitlexa for occasional sneak peaks or thoughts about this story.   
> See you next time!


	7. Who Ya Gonna Call?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cage gets threatened and Clarke takes up ghostbusting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A short chapter just to tide you over cause i'm an asshole who cant ever write on time.

Cage Wallace may not be the brains of this little ‘destroy the gods from the inside out’ piece, but he was smart enough to know who not to piss off to stay alive. And the two women standing in front of him...were definitely those people. 

 

The older woman, Cage thought, was probably once considered beautiful. An angular face, blond hair, great curves, and a rasping sultry tone to her voice. But it was disrupted by the negative energy that thrummed from her like the engine of a jet. And like an engine, if you got too close, would suck you in, cut you up and spit you out. Her face was marred by scars, blonde hair stringy and held in a tight bun on her head. 

‘She’s really got that, ‘librarian from hell’ look going, all she needs are some wire glasses.’ Cage thought to himself, careful not to show it on his face though. Don’t want to give her any wrong ideas about his current status of, well, living.  

 

The girl next to her was younger than the woman, prettier too. Hanging behind the scary librarian like a shadow. She too had a few scars across her cheeks, but nothing as bad as the other. She held an anger in her eyes, but a stone cold expression on her face. ‘Never play poker with that one.’ Wallace thinks before putting on his most welcoming smile. 

 

“And what brings two beautiful women into my peaceful establishment?” Cage asks, throwing his arms out in a showing gesture. Right at that moment, as if by magic, a tortured cry split through the air. Followed by a series of bangs and shouts until it was quiet once again. The man chuckled, “Well. Maybe peaceful is the wrong term.” 

 

He waited for a response, as the women drew closer. Cage could feel the dark energy ebbing from the woman, brushing up against his skin in a corrupted slither. But balked when the older woman just strolled past him, paying him no mind whatsoever. The younger one stopped by him for a moment, looking him up and down. Cage always likes when a lady appreciates what he’s selling but this felt different. Like, she was surveying the best place to stab him later. He smiled uncomfortably and leaned away slightly, and the young woman just scoffed and kept walking. 

 

Now thoroughly insulted and vaguely terrified, Cage followed after the woman. How she knew where she was going was beyond him, but she easily made her way up to his office. The doors swinging open with a gentle swoosh. 

 

Alie turned from her place overlooking the work floor and smiled at the pair. Actually smiled. 

 

This was getting a tad bit weird for Cage. 

 

“These two just sauntered in Alie. Didn’t even introdu-” Cage started, but was cut off by a knife suddenly being pressed to his throat. He turned his head as much as he could to find the younger woman behind him, a murderous glare in her eyes as she held him tightly against the blade. 

‘This would be kindof hot if I wasn’t about to die.’ Cage thought quickly. ‘Oh shit, are those really going to be my final thoughts?’ 

 

“You will apologize for talking to the Mistress in such a manner, or I will mount your head above her fireplace.” She hissed, digging the blade in a bit more. 

 

“We don’t actually have a fireplace,” Cage blurted out, instantly regretting his choice of words as he felt the blade dig into his skin. ‘Yup, this is how I die.’ He thought, as he felt the blade begin to move. But it halted immediately when Alie raised a hand, calmly. 

 

“Let him go, Ontari.” She said, watching the young girl roughly release the man. His hand automatically reaching for his throat to stop the minor bleeding. “He is helping us achieve our goals.” 

 

Ontari gave the man a searing glare, before returning her eyes to the red clad woman in front of them. Before he could ask what the hell was going on, the older woman spoke for the first time. 

 

“The chip has been taken by the one you seek,” she said ominously. Ontari went to add something, but Cage beat her to it. 

 

“I don’t understand,” he started. “Why do we need the chips when we already have the reapers? They’re stronger, faster, more obedient than some chipped wimp. My creatures easily beat them ten to one.” 

 

Alie just laughed at the question, walking back towards the windows making up the back half of the office. 

 

“Have you ever heard of subtlety, boy?” She asked in a mocking tone. 

 

Ontari scoffed at the question, looking over the man once again. Suddenly regretting his choice of a crisp white suit this morning. 

 

“I think he understands subtlety as well as Zeus understands monogamy.” 

 

Alie laughed mockingly, surprised at the young demi gods whit. “You would talk about your father that way?” She asked, earning only a scoff from Ontari. She chuckled again and turned back towards the windows, looking out over the obedient workers fiddling with their subjects. 

 

“Good. Now let’s get started, shall we?” 

 

***

Raven doesn’t know how well anger and adrenaline make for energy supplements, but she’s pretty sure Clarke would be a prime candidate to study on such effects at the moment. The blonde was fuming after her shouting match with the elder Griffin, the thousands of miles she just shadow traveled, didn’t even seem to phase her. 

 

Clarke was currently pacing up and down an abandoned alley, having successfully teleported them to San Francisco, and angrily mumbling to herself. Her arms moving around quickly to accentuate her anger. 

 

“Who does she think she is?!” Clarke yelled, throwing her arms up in the air in frustration.  _ “Where do you think you’re going? _ ” She said, in a mocking tone similar to her mother's. “Like she has any fucking say about what I’m doing.” 

 

While Clarke stewed in her anger, Raven reached into her pack and pulled out a square of ambrosia, calmly handing it to the blonde. 

 

“And another thin- _ thank you _ -another thing!” Clarke said, pausing momentarily to take the offered square. While the blonde was angry, she’d really rather not pass out in a dirty alley. She nibbled on a corner, feeling her energy return to her slowly. Her emotions about her mother were confusing and frustrating, and brought up bad memories. 

 

_ ‘Don’t let emotions stop you’  _

 

A voice rang in Clarke’s head, a distant memory probably triggered by her past being drudged up. 

 

_ ‘Just center yourself. Take a breath. You can do this.’  _

 

The voice continued, calming the blondes frantic pacing. The beginnings of a smile reached the blonde’s lips as she moved to sit down against one of the alley walls. Crossing her legs, she straightened out her back and closed her eyes. Taking deep breaths, paying attention to the way her own chest rises and falls with her breathing. 

 

Octavia watches Clarke slowly breathing, feeling as the suffocating anger in the alley slowly ebbs to a dull roar. The half demon still doesn’t understand humans well, but the display Clarke is putting on now is a testament to their self control. Or maybe just the blondes self control specifically. The energy in the alley shifted slightly as Clarke calmed more. Octavia could almost feel… a second presence from… what could only be her soul. Her eyes widened as she continued to watch the blonde. _ Clarke couldn’t be… a Sym, could she?  _ Octavia thought, _ the chances of that are so thin, she couldn’t possibly- _

 

But before Octavia could finish her thought, the second presence vanished as Clarke's’ eyes reopened. A soothing energy blanketing her. 

 

“I’m glad Lexa taught you that trick. It really comes in handy for a hot head like you, Griffin.” The mechanic jibbed, taking back the ambrosia and stashing it safely in her pack. Clarke just scoffed and stood up, looking around the alley to take stock of where they were. 

 

“I never should have told you about her.” The blonde said, off handedly, Moving towards the entrance to take a quick look around. 

 

San Fran was a dangerous place for demigods, especially one of the Big Three. The Mist was especially thick here, a demigods rate of being noticed was  **_much_ ** higher, and it was filled to the brim with demons that would just love to have a demigod afternoon snack. And really, it was to hide a certain.. place. But only Clarke knew that. Sworn to secrecy and all that. 

 

“We should probably get moving,” Clarke started, before jumping slightly, a surprised look on her face. Raven saw the look, and sighed dejectedly. 

 

“Who ya gonna call?” Raven sang, “Clarke Griffin!” 

 

“What?” Octavia question, not understand the Ghostbusters reference. 

 

“There’s a ghost here, but you can’t see it.” Clarke explained. 

 

“Ooooh.Gotcha.”

Nodding at the dark haired girl, Clarke moved forward slowly. Her hands up in a placating manner, as she stared off into an empty corner of the alleyway. 

 

Clarke didn’t mind ghosts, she’s been around them for practically half her life. She even has ghost friends in the Underworld. What she did mind though, was said ghosts popping up out of nowhere, scaring the crap out of her. 

 

“Hello,” Clarke said calmly, approaching the ghost slowly. She looked to be in about her 40s, a librarian type. Big glasses with her brown hair up in a bun. But the right side of her head seemed, almost caved in _. Must have been how she died, _ Clarke thought. Her eyes seemed frightened and wary of the trio, gaze flickering to each girl quickly. 

 

“Hello,” Clarke repeated. The panicked woman's gaze landing on her once again. “I’m Clarke Griffin. And these are my friends, Raven and Octavia.” The blonde said slowly, her voice as calm as she could get it. There was a long pause, the ghost seemed unsure of what to do. 

 

“Griffin, you say?” The woman finally spoke, stepping closer to the blonde. “I am Vera Kane.”

“Wait, Kane?” Clarke asked, “Like Marcus Kane?” 

“Ah yes, my son. What a good satyr he turned out to be. Tell him I love him, alright?” Vera said, a sad glint coming to her eye. Clarke nodded, “I promise.” 

Vera smiled up at her, “Onto business then. I was a Keeper of the Tree. Well, former Keeper I suppose.” The ghost smiled sadly, clasping her hands in front of her. “I was killed to keep anymore information from the Tree out of your hands.”

 

“The Tree?” Clarke asked, “And why out of my hands?” 

Vera laughed softly, smiling at the young woman in front of her. 

“You are much more important than you know, young Griffin. Or maybe, you do know? Your prophecy was written many a century ago.” Vera smiled, and before Clarke could ask another question, she continued on. 

“The Tree is an ancient artifact from times long past. Much like the Labyrinth, it moves with it’s hosts and grows underneath its surface. The Trees’ roots are spread all across this planet, it sees everything and only few can understand what it’s saying. I was one of those few. A keeper.” 

“So what was the Tree saying that got you killed?” Clarke asked, her curiosity getting the better of her. 

“That an old god has been rising. They’ve been hiding quite well the past couple of years, but now they have made their presence known. They even sent a god to do their dirty work.” 

 

Clarke didn’t like the sound of this, at all. Demons, she could fight. Gods? That might be a tad harder. 

 

Raven and Octavia had no way to know what was going on, because they couldn’t see or hear the exchange going on. It was a frustrating, one way mirror kind of situation that Raven hated. She didn’t like being out of the loop. She was the brains of this operation, and needed to know what was going on. But there was no way to do that, so she just watched Clarke for any clues as to what was going on. 

 

“They’re very fixated on you, Clarke. You and another woman. And it seemed something was happening at the Mountain of Despair. An outdated term for Mount Tamalpais. I think you need to head there now. That was all the tree could give me before...” And Vera grew silent. 

 

Clarke nodded, trying to take in all the information from the ghost. “Thank you, Vera Kane.” 

The ghost looked up again, into Clarke’s blue eyes and said, “Please, make this world right again. This old god has no right to be back here.” 

The blonde nodded again, and raised her hand to Vera’s forehead. 

“I’m going to help you move on now, alright?” 

The ghost nodded, “Tell my son I love him.” She said again. 

“I promise.” Clarke whispered, and then the alley was filled with a white light and Vera Kane was gone. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Announcement: I can say. With all certainty. Clexa will be reunited next chapter. I promise you. This is not a drill. It's happening. Bare with me.  
> Come bother me at goddammitlexa.tumblr.com if you want the chapter to come along quicker or have any questions


	8. Fear the Walking Demigod

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> That feeling when your demigod au turns into a zombie show for a sec

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know the whole "quest to the mountain" bit seems a bit rushed like, we just got here and this convenient information was given to us but I just want to get to Clexa. This has about 0 editing cause I was excited to post it, but really when does anything I write have any editing.

A trip to Mount Tamalpais was necessary it seemed, but they couldn’t shadow travel or they might risk Clarke taking another forced nap; so they decided to get a cab. 

“I know we need to get there quick but, is this really worth it?” Clarke grumbled as she stepped out from the alley into the hot San Francisco sun. Her hair shining in the sunlight like a golden crown. Weather here was nothing like in New York. How people lived without seasons over here, just baffled the blonde. 

“I am  _ not  _ taking a San Francisco taxi, Griffin.” Raven started, stepping to the curb alongside the reluctant blonde. Octavia following behind, not understanding the current topic of conversation but decided not to question it. 

“You hear how much these rip off artists charge you? That’s highway robbery and i’m from New York!” The mechanic finished, fishing out a golden Drachma out of her equipment belt and handing it to the blonde. 

The girl just sighed, swiping the gold out of Ravens hand and holding it out above the sidewalk. 

“If they tell me some weird shit or lose their eye and get us all blown up, i’m blaming you.” The blonde then turned back to the sidewalk and turned a deep breath and yelled, 

" _ Stêthi 'Ô hárma diabolês! _ ” Then threw the gold out onto the street. 

Before Octavia could even ask what the hell was going on, a loud screech of tires came out of seemingly nowhere and a taxi made of, what looked to be smoke, appeared before them. An old women with one eye and no teeth leaned out the driver side window, a disturbingly gummy smile spread across her face as she looked over the blonde. 

“Girls look! We got the girl of the hour on our curb!” The driver yelled, looking back into the cab. 

“How can we look Anger, when you have the eye?!” A voice yelled from the interior of the car. 

“Yeah! Give it here!” Another yelled, reaching over to the driver grasping at her eye. Starting a sort of tussle across the front of the cab. 

“Ladies, ladies!” Clarke yelled, causing them to freeze momentarily. “We just need to get to Mount Tamalpais and then you can fight over the eye all you want.” 

Before Clarke could say anything else, the door to the cab swung open. Leaving wispy trails of smoke behind it. 

“Get in!” One of the women yelled, and the three girls quickly piled into the car. Clarke and Raven weren’t even surprised when the car shot off before the doors had barely closed, but Octavia was thrown back into the seats in surprise and fear. The interior was nicer than Raven remembered, instead of old upholstery seats they were swathed in leather. With no mysterious stains to be seen at all. 

“Did you ladies upgrade your taxi?” Raven started, a shmoozing smile settling upon her face. Octavia looked over to the mechanic in terror.  _ Why are you distracting them?! _

“It looks amazing, almost as good as you three.” The mechanic finished. She hoped flattery would get them to their location safer.

The woman in the middle turned around, showing off one tooth in her smile. “Aren’t you a cute one?” The woman said, “We have to compete with Uber! They’re takin’ all our customers!” The other two women nodded, the cab flying past others at break neck speeds. Jostling the three in the back seat around, but the three upfront seemed unconcerned. 

“We’re so much better than Uber! Who needs fare rippers when you can have the Gray Sisters!” 

“That doesn’t make any sense nor does it rhyme, Wasp!” 

“Yes it does, Tempest!” 

And the two women started bickering, thankfully leaving the one driving out of it. 

Clarke hated taking the Grey Sisters’ Taxi. The Grey Sisters’ always said something weird, or almost kill her. It was like 50/50. 

“So, prophecy girl.” The women at the wheel, Anger, started.  _ So it was going to be something weird this time. Alright.  _ “If you survive this, I can’t wait to say we had you in our cab!” 

“Yes! We’ve had so many celebrities in our cab, you should really pay us more!” Tempest said, laughing uproariously at her own joke. 

“Wait, survive this?” Clarke asked, “What do you mean survive this?!” 

“Well-” Anger started, but was quickly cut off by Wasp yelling, “WE’RE HERE!” 

The cab skittered to a stop, and Wasp threw a lever in front of her which open the door and tilted the seats. Spilling the 2 demi gods and half demon onto the grass in a tangled heap. 

“Good luck!” Anger yelled, and the tires squealed and the cab disappeared into a cloud of smoke. 

Clarke coughed aggressively, along with the other two, trying to get the taxi’s lingering fumes out of her lungs. 

Octavia moaned in pain underneath the other two, the demigods quickly realizing that they had both ended up on top of the other girl. Springing off her quickly, and helping the crushed girl to her feet. 

“Can we promise,” the dark haired girl said, wincing as she coughed again. “To never do that again?” 

Clarke nodded solemnly at the girl, she was completely fine with never encountering those old hags ever again. The blonde took a look around them, they seemed to be in the forest surrounding the mountain. She could see the rocky cliffs through a few layers of trees. 

 

“Well, we’re here.”

 

***

 

Alie watched from the office as her workers brought the extra equipment from the old base in. Boxes and hand trucks filled with supplies and notes. That base of operation was old, they had needed a change. Thankfully, due to her carefully place informants, she knew of the demigods movements long before they could ever be a problem. Moving completely into this secondary base days before the meddling demigods even knew what was going on. 

 

“Did you leave our guests a little surprise?” Alie says, as Cage walks into the office. A smug smile slinking across his face. 

 

“All the rejects and uncontrollables were left behind.” He said, coming to stand beside the woman. 

 

“Aren’t those the ones that eat flesh?” Alie said, as the two shared a humorous laugh. 

 

“Maybe if we’re lucky it will kill them both.” Cage nodded. 

 

The laughter echoed through the office, sounding almost like two friends sharing a harmless joke. 

 

*** 

 

“Okay, i’m just gonna say it.” Raven spoke, breaking the silence that had fallen over them the second they had entered the hallway. “This place is sketchy as fuck.” 

 

Well, she isn’t wrong. Clarke thought as they continued slowly down the dark hallway.  _ Thank god Raven has flashlights in that belt of hers, or we’d be stumbling in the dark like...something that stumbles in the dark!  _

 

It turns out, Raven didn’t have to climb the mountain at all. After a bit of walking around the cliff face, Octavia found a well hidden bunker door. _ ‘The negative energy lead me right to it,’ _ she had said. Not a phrase that would inspire confidence to open the door, but this is what they came for. To finally get some answers about what was going on. What happened to Adam. Who killed Vera Kane. Why she involved in any of it. 

 

Raven had made quick work of the metal door, blowing open the lock with a well placed explosive. After digging around in her belt to pass out flashlights, they were now slowly making their way down a seemingly deserted hallway. Turned over carts and loose papers laid on the floor in a jumbled mess. Just sheets of test results that made no sense to anyone in the group.Their slow footfalls echoing slightly against the stark white walls. Almost like a hospital. 

Clarke hated hospitals. 

The rooms they passed were empty, usually filled with stripped office supplies. And a quick look through each one came up with nothing. 

The air was stifling and held a sort of bleached scent to it, making the hospital feel of the place even stronger. Honestly, Clarke felt like she was the star of one of those ghost hunting shows and she just was not feeling it. Up ahead was a thick metal door, with one tiny shutter window in the middle. Cracked open just an inch. 

Clarke moved to go inside when Raven nudged her, pointing off to the right. 

“There’s a staircase over there. I think we should check it out.” She said quietly, looking back at the blonde who nodded. 

“I’m going to go ahead, you go check out what’s up there. Octavia, you go with her.” Raven seemed reluctant to split up, but Clarke waved her off, moving towards the door once again. 

“Wait,” the mechanic whispered, rummaging in her equipment belt and pulling out a 3 headsets. Handing one to Clarke, then to Octavia. She looped them around their right ear, making sure the mic was near their mouths and the volume wasn’t too loud. 

“Just hold down the button in the middle to speak and we’ll hear it.” Clarke nodded, and tried to move again but Raven grabbed her arm, handing her a pack she pulled out of her equipment belt. 

_ Seriously, I know it’s enchanted but damn that thing holds alot.  _

“And take some of these with you, you never know what could happen.” 

Clarke opened the pack to find, of course, explosives. 

“I have the detonator, so don’t worry.” The mechanic said, grinning at the blonde. 

“Oh, that makes me feel much better.” Clarke said before grinning back. 

“Be careful, Griffin.” 

“I will.” 

And the blonde quietly slipped through the door, leaving the other two to make their way up the staircase. Not noticing that the door shut behind Clarke, and a soft metal thunk as a deadbolt moved into place. 

 

***

What Clarke  _ wanted _ behind door number one, was a new car and a trip to Hawaii. 

 

What Clarke was  _ expecting _ , was another barren hallway with maybe some actual information.

 

What Clarke _got_ was pretty much the **_exact horrifying opposite of that._**

 

Behind the large door was, yes, another hallway. But it had a few key opposites from the one behind her. This hallway was trashed. Abandoned gurneys lay here and there, doors hung off their hinges and an overwhelming stench of death hung in the air. Her flashlight shone against the walls, but didn’t help her see too far ahead. She slowly advanced into the hallway, the mess only getting worse as she made her way into the first room. Immediately stepping into some sort of puddle, her boots splashing into the liquid. Clarke looked down and found herself standing in what seemed like a pool of putrid gold. But couldn’t exactly identify what it was. 

Without looking up, she put her finger to the com piece in her ear, whispering into it quietly. 

“There’s some weird sort of liquid on the ground down here, not sure what it-” That’s when she looked up. 

And almost threw up when she shined her light across the room. 

_ “Clarke?”  _ Her com buzzed in her ear. But the blonde was too mortified to respond. 

The walls of the room we’re splattered in blood, mixed with the gold liquid beneath her feet. Hand prints dragged across the walls like someone trying to escape. And in the middle of the room stood some sort of operating table. And on it, a body. 

_ “Clarke!?”  _ Her com buzzed again frantically, Raven’s voice worried. 

“I found something… A body.” Clarke said, cautiously stepping closer to the table. The body, a male, was laid haphazardly on the table. Tubes sticking out of his arms and legs, with what looked like… bite marks and chunks of flesh torn out. His gold eyes staring upwards, unseeing. “It looks like Adam.” Clarke said into the mic, terrified. Backing away silently. 

“If this thing looked like Adam, that means that what happened to him wasn’t a random occurrence. Someone is trying to turn people into...whatever that is.” She said into the mic, hearing Raven agree with her theory. 

She quickly left the room, but not before leaving one of Raven’s explosives. Better safe than sorry. The next few rooms were the same, some with more than one body. Each in different states of disrepair. She left one of the explosives in each room.No one would be able to use this place for their evil science experiments ever again, if she had a say in it. As Clarke advanced, it seemed the hall ahead opened up into a chamber of sorts. She stopped right before it, asking Raven for an update. 

_ “We found a computer,” _ The radio buzzed with the mechanics voice.  _ “They tried to erase the hard drive but they’ve obviously never dealt with me before. I was able to recover a few things, mainly test results but it seems you were right. This place was a lab to make those..things. Reapers as these files say.”  _

Clarke stiffened. “Reapers?” She asked. 

_ “Yup.”  _

“Well that’s not good.”

“ _ There’s something about experiments using corrupted ambrosia to turn them. That’s about all we got.”  _

That’s when Clarke heard the shuffling ahead. Dragging footsteps across tile floor, pained moans off in the open space in front of her. Clarke quickly switched off her flashlight, plunging her into darkness but hopefully keeping her concealed from whatever was in the other room. 

_ “Hey guys,” _ Octavia’s voice spoke across the headset.  _ “I think I found a generator.”  _

As she spoke, the lab seemed to roar to life. Well, half life. Emergency lights blinked on, illuminating the rooms in an eerie red light. More shuffling could be heard as the lights all switched on,  _ much more _ shuffling. Raven and Octavia could be seen in an office above the floor where Clarke was, quickly finding the blonde then seeing the rest of the room and their jaws fell in shock. 

The open floor was filled with people. Well, people was the wrong word. Zombies felt better, but with recent information. They were Reapers. Hundreds of them filled the wide open bunker, shuffling and looking around at the blinking red lights. 

 

“Raven, hit that detonator. We need to leave now.” Clarke said, Raven quickly responding that they have 2 minutes. The blonde dropped the pack with the rest of the explosives and tried to back away slowly. Hoping they wouldn’t see her. But her foot caught on an overturned gurney and made a loud rattling sound that seemed to echo across every available surface. They all snapped their head to the noise, eyes zoning in on the blonde. The one closest to her let out an ear shattering screech, 

And that’s when Clarke started running for her life. 

 

***

Commander Lexa loved the woods. It was a known fact. Hell, her last name was Woods, it was in her blood. But something about these woods just.. Didn’t feel right. Lincoln, Anya and herself set out to find the soldiers that went missing in this area, but so far, had come up empty handed. She was happy to be out in the field again though. With her trusty imperial gold katana strapped to her side, and no cumbersome cape in sight; Lexa felt in her element. Only her element didn’t usually involve this much failure. 

 

“Heda, the reports say this is where the soldiers went missing.” Lincoln said, kneeling down to inspect the ground below them. There were no disturbances in the grass, just a snuffed campfire here and there. 

“No signs of a struggle,” Anya added, her face setting into a frustrated mask. 

“It’s like they all, got up and walked away.” Lexa commented offhandedly, suddenly feeling distracted by a sort of emotion nagging at her senses. Concentrating on the disturbance, it expanded into an out of body feeling of intense urgency and terror. Like something was just behind her, grabbing at her neck. The dark haired leader spun around, trying to find the source of this and ran off in the direction it felt strongest. 

 

Anya and Lincoln shared a glance as they were left behind without a word, and quickly turned to  follow after their Commander. 

 

Lexa stopped at the cliff face, running along the side of it in what some would call, a frantic gait. She has only felt this out of body emotion a few times, but never this intense. Never this  _ close.  _

 

She soon found a well hidden door, that seemed to have had it’s lock blown off and hung open ominously. Anya and Lincoln coming up behind her a moment later, slightly irritated that she ran ahead without them. 

 

“Commander, what-” Anya started, but was silenced by a raise of the shorter girl’s hand. Who indicated towards the open door, listening carefully. 

 

“Is that…” Lincoln paused, angling his head towards the open door. “Screaming?” 

 

*** 

Clarke bolted back down the hallway, which now seemed much longer than she remembered. Jumping over gurneys and frantically avoiding slippery spots of blood. These reapers didn’t seem to share Adam’s speed, but there were so many that it didn’t matter. If they surrounded her, she was done for. 

Two minutes seemed so much shorter when you were running from your life from a hoard of angry science experiments. Thankfully the door she came through was quickly approaching. She could see Raven and Octavia’s worried faces through the tiny window as they beaconed her closer. 

But something seemed wrong, they were frantically trying to do something. Casting a worried glance towards her approaching figure every few seconds. The blonde threw a glance over her shoulder, the hoard screaming and making its way slowly towards her. Clarke finally made it to the door, ramming her shoulder against it to throw it open. Except, it didn’t open. And Clarke slammed against the door, probably breaking something as pain filled her left arm. 

“It’s locked!” Octavia yelled, frantically banging on the door to no avail. Raven messing with the lock system next to the door, that they seemed to overlook before. 

The mechanic was on the verge of tears trying to get the lock open. But she could feel that countdown bearing down on her, could feel Clarke’s life in her hands. And it was making it increasingly hard to stop shaking and actually fix the problem. 

Clarke turned around, they were getting closer now. She drew her sword and stood at the ready, if she was going to die here, she wasn’t going down without a fight. And in about a minute, she’d be blown up anyway. 

“Raven, hurry up!” She could hear Octavia yell, though muffled through the door. 

_ 30 seconds till the hoard reaches me, _ the blonde estimated. 

“I’m trying!” Raven yelled, her voice trembled. This was her best friend, she was about to get her best friend killed because she can’t open a fucking door. 

_ 20 seconds till i’m probably eaten.  _ Clarke thought. 

“Raven!” Octavia yelled, putting her hands over the girls shaking ones. “You can do this.” She said, holding her gaze. Raven nodded seriously. 

_ 10 seconds till I will definitely never see Lexa again _

The hoard was reaching for her now, their prey within their grasp. Shuffling her towards her death. The blonde shifts to start attacking when she hears the deadbolt lift behind her and two hands pulling her back by the scruff of her jacket. 

_ Oh thank god  _

Octavia and Raven had pulled her back just in time, throwing her back before trying to close the door again. To no avail. 

Clarke quickly sheathed her sword and pulled the two back. 

“Run!” She screamed as the door broke open and reapers spilled out behind them. The sounds of screeching and shuffled footsteps followed behind them.  

“How long do we have till we all die in a fiery explosion?” Octavia yelled, almost slipping on a loose paper on the ground. 

“Oh about,” Raven checked her watch, “30 seconds?” 

That really motivated them to pick it up. Their boots slapping against the floor in unison as they raced to avoid their deaths. 

The door was in sight, a glowing archway of safety. They were right on the edge of it when everything started exploding, a fiery inferno blazing down the hall, burning anything it touched. Pushing them off their feet and sending them flying through the air. 

Raven and Octavia landed in a heap on either side of the entrance, coughing and sputtering as Raven yelled “Sweet safety!” Kissing the grass she was sprawled out on. 

But Clarke didn’t land on grass. Clarke went flying and landed on… a person? 

Someone had broken her fall, sending them both to the ground. Clarke on top, breathing heavily from the intense run she just had. She had closed her eyes during her ‘flight’ and had yet to open them, knowing she would have to apologize profusely to whoever she just knocked into. Although, besides that feeling of guilt, she did notice a sense of.. Calm wash over her. Like her soul was content, however crazy that sounded. 

And finally Clarke opened her eyes to find a dark haired woman under her, looking completely baffled. 

Sky blue eyes met forest green, and that’s when it clicked. 

“Clarke?” 

“Lexa?!” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gonna kill me yet?  
> I did say they were gonna reunite this chapter. I technically did not lie. Hope I did my temporary zombie fic alright. 
> 
> Next chapter is the long awaited "wtf happened 4 years ago" flashback chapter. Which is like..60% written so it should be coming soon. Probably will be one of the longest chapters I post. So get pumped.  
> Come yell at me about my shitty writing at goddammitlexa.tumblr.com


	9. Let's Do The Time Warp

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> part 1 of the highly anticipated flashback chapter

**4 Years Ago**

 

A dark haired girl entered the torch lit room. She looked around, hands moving to grip the sword at her waist, a thinly concealed habit of nervousness. The room was huge, and in the center stood a massive metal cage.  _ Welcome to the Thunderdome _ , she thought as she straightened her back even more and moved to stand in front of the cage. Around it stood the council, and various others; all there to witness if a new commander would rise. 

 

This wasn’t the only test she would have to face today, but it was the only one that people could watch. The other test was all on her. 

 

The girl studied the crowd around her, some familiar faces speckled about. Gustus stood a few feet from the cages entrance, face blank but worry hidden deep in his eyes when their gazes meet. The burly man gave her a curt nod, and a tight lipped smile. 

 

Indra on the other hand, was a completely different story. She smirked when their eyes met, a proud smile on her face as the torch light gleamed off her dark skin. Indra knew that this girl was the one, that nothing would stop her from winning this fight. The Commanders spirit was in her, and she was going to succeed. The girl’s gaze fell on Titus, who was standing inside the cage, with a slightly less confident look on his face. The bald man had taught her all she would need to know of politics, tradition, history, even life advice. It all came from him. He was apprehensive for the fight, not wanting the girl he came to see as a daughter get killed, but also wanted a new commander to rise. He looked down at the jar of black liquid at his feet, then looked back up at her. He gave her a nod and continued with his preparations, so she moved on. 

 

A stoic pair of brown eyes meet hers from across the cage,  _ Anya _ , she thought as she watched the girl approach. She carried a small jar with her, clutching it in both hands. Anya was the closest thing she had to a mom in all her years at Camp Jupiter. Besides Indra of course, but she was strictly business 90% of the time. Anya became her mentor after a particularly hard quest they were sent out on when she was 13, after saving her from the monster that attacked their team mate Nia, her and her girlfriend, Costia, right outside the borders. 

...Only one of them made it out of that fight alive. 

Anya had carried the injured girl into camp, after momentarily stunning the monster. Barely making it out. Only when the pair made it into the medical bay and their healer, Nyko, was patching her up did the older girl notice. 

“Your blood is black.” She said, “We haven’t had a nightblood since..” 

 

And that’s when her training began.

 

While the dark haired girl was reminiscing, Anya had made it in front of her, stopping to stare down the shorter girl. 

“It is not wise to get lost in thought before a battle,  _ Heda _ ” Anya said, a smirk playing across her lips. 

“I’m not Heda yet, Anya.” She responded, right hand reaching for her sword to grasp nervously. 

“Hey,” the older girl said, putting her right hand on the other girl’s shoulder and squeezing reassuringly. “You will be, Lexa.” 

Lexa looked into Anya’s eyes for a moment, seeing nothing but intense belief and she nodded, a sense of pride flowing through her at the faith the older girl held for her. 

“Now,” Anya said, releasing her shoulder, and lifting her other hand that held the small jar she saw earlier. “The reason i’m here is because they choose me to apply your war paint. It’s a very big honor yada yada, you wouldn’t completely suck as Commander blah blah.” 

Lexa smirked as Anya tried to alleviate the serious mood in the room, “Just don’t make it suck okay?” she said smirking when Anya looked vaguely insulted. 

“I would never!” 

“Yeah yeah, just get on with it.” 

It didn’t take long for Anya to finish applying the black charcoal that was in the jar, a smirk firmly in place when she pulled a small mirror from her pocket and pushed it into Lexa’s hands. 

It’s not like Lexa didn’t trust the 22 year old, she just didn’t trust her art skills. But was shocked when she looked into the mirror and a fierce warrior was staring back at her. The coal covered both her eyes, reaching back to her hairline with 3 lines, on each side, jaggedly stretching down past her cheek bones. She looked up at Anya, an appreciative look on her face. The older girl just nodded, and stepped aside. But not before yelling, “Go get um!” and slapping her on the ass as she walked away. 

“Was that really necessary?” Lexa asked, glaring at the now stoned faced woman standing next to her. 

“Yes, yes it was.” 

Lexa just shook her head, and approached the gate to the cage. Gustus stood there, looming over Lexa like a giant but his intimidating demeanor broke when he grasped her forearm and whispered, “Ste yuj,”  _ Be strong _ , before opening the gate and ushering her in.  

Titus stood before a large jar, a serious look on his face as they nodded at each other showing she was ready. 

 

“Witnesses!” The bald man spoke to the crowd, his voice echoing across the large room. “We are gathered here today to witness the first Commanders test in over 2 decades. Lexa Woods, please step forward.” 

With her head held high, Lexa stepped forward, standing in front of the large jar which she could now see was filled with an ominous black liquid. Titus handed her a small ceremonial dagger, and nodded his head when she clutched it in her grip. 

“This liquid will activate at a drop of your essence and form into your worst enemy. Show them your nightblood and the test will begin. Prove to these witnesses, and the Gods, that you are the Commander!” 

The gathered crowd gave a cheer at that and Titus left the cage, a resounding clunk echoed through the air as the door slammed shut. 

Lexa lifted her left hand over the jar and used the knife Titus handed her to cut a line across her palm. Clenching her fist over the jar, black blood poured from the wound causing the liquid in the jar to smoke until the whole cage was filled with a suffocating black fog. She heard the jar shatter under immense weight, and then the smoke vanished. Revealing her enemy. 

***  
  


Clarke didn’t mind being in the Underworld. Actually she quite liked it sometimes. Cerberus never got anyone to play with her and it was downright sad to the blonde. The dog had 3 heads! That’s 3 times more dog you have to appreciate! It was also hilarious seeing the ghosts in line to be processed, watch a small blonde girl walk up to the huge snarling dog and give her a belly rub. 

But today was a different kind of visit day. Today was a training day. Today was family day. 

 

The Fields of Elysium have always been one of the most beautiful places Clarke has ever been to. A lot of her artwork back in her cabin featured this place. It had sprawling green hills and architecture from any and every time period in the world. Personally, the blonde loved the Roman architecture that was sporadically represented throughout the city. Maybe she was always meant to be a Roman, Clarke laughed to herself.  _ Yeah right, a Roman _ .

The 15 year olds feet thudded against the cobblestone road leading into the center of the city. The smell of a grill cooking wafted through the air. A content smile glued to her face as she continued her stroll to the plaza. As a demigod, the blonde doesn’t get very many down moments so when she does, they are highly appreciated. 

In the centre plaza stood a shrine to each god, and next to the shrine of Hades is where they always met. 

 

His shaggy black hair looked messier than usual. He was leaning up against the shrine, a brown package held lightly in one hand. A content smile on his face. His battered brown bombers jacket sat happily on his shoulders, his free hand racking through his hair when he sees Clarke approach, shooting her a smile. His brown eyes crinkling at the corners as he adjusts the package under his arm. 

“Hey Clarke,” He says, waving. “You ready to get your ass kicked?” 

Clarke scoffs at the question, crossing her arms over her chest. “Yeah right, old man.” She says, watching his face transform into fake anger. 

“I’ll have you know I am only 45, and your words hurt me.” He said dramatically, clutching his chest, and falling to his knees. “Why Clarke...why.” 

Clarke just watches him, an amused smirk on her lips.

“So how’s the hubby?” She asks, and in a second he’s off the ground and back to smiling. “Oh, Will? He’s great. Yeah, he’s great.” A dopey grin spreading across his face. Clarke watched with some envy as his eyes unfocused, thinking about his husband. She wished she had something like that, but currently, her most long lasting relationship has been with her sword. _ And you’d never betray me would you, baby.  _ The girl thinks, patting the sword strapped on her back, lovingly. 

“Are you done staring off into the distance like an idiot, bro?” The blonde asks after a good thirty seconds of him not moving. This black hair swishes when he snaps his head in her direction and says, “You’re just jealous, Sis. That’s not my fault.” He shoots her a sarcastic grin before walking off towards the training field. 

“Now get your bi-ass over here so we can get started.” 

Clarke jogs to catch up with the dark haired man,  _ oh Nico _ , she thinks,  _ never a dull moment with you.   _

***  
  


Lexa Woods could never back out of a fight. Be it a sense of pride or she was just too damn stubborn, she would never tell. In reality, it was both, but this fight it was neither. This fight was more revenge. But while her mind was working through a red haze, her face showed callous indifference at the enemy put before her. 

The Minotaur. 

This beast is the fine gentleman who brutally killed the girl she loved, Costia. And was one of the only things standing between her, and her destiny. 

The monster in front of her blew air out of his nose, bowing his head slightly, scraping his feet across the ground. Trying to be intimidating, like that was going to work against the future Commander of the Roman Legion. Lexa scoffed under her breath at the beasts display, calmly drawing her Imperial Gold katana from her waist. It was an odd choice of weapon for a Roman solider, but it felt right in her hands, a gift from her mother Minerva, when she found out Lexa was training to take the Commanders test. One and half sized grip so she could use one or two handed techniques, balanced perfectly, and enchanted by her mother to never dull. And with her two short swords strapped to her back she was ready for anything. She lowered into a more stable fighting stance and waited. 

 

Without warning the beast threw it’s head back and unleashed a terrifying roar, charging at Lexa at top speed. The girl barely stepped out of the way, slicing at the back of its leg before jumping back to a safe distance. The Minotaur yelled in pain, it’s beady eyes focusing in on Lexa standing on the other side of the ring, death ringing in them like a bell. 

The small space they were fighting in, definitely was a disadvantage to the beast but also left little room for Lexa to maneuver. The fight went on like that for a while, a deadly game of cat and mouse. He would charge, Lexa would dodge and try to get a hit in. It was a good method, if not very drawn out but it was going okay until one mistake. 

The minotaur had charged, head first at the girl. She moved to dodge but was one second too late as one of his horns caught her. She felt the sharpness cut right under her right collarbone down to her arm. Her whole body flared with pain when the monster grabbed her injured body and threw her against the metal cage wall. She cried out in agony as she smashed against the wall and fell to the ground, feeling huge tremors as the beast walked towards her. He was standing right over her now, his hot breath on her cheek. She was in so much pain it hurt to even think about moving, but she pushed it out of her mind. This was her moment, her opening. She grabbed her katana from where it fell next to her and stabbed up blindly at where she felt the hot air coming from. She rolled away and looked up as the beast bellowed in pain, the sword jabbed right through his shoulder. 

Lexa, quickly drawing her short swords, charged the disoriented beast. Slashing and hacking her way through him, till she sliced his head clean off and he disintegrated into a pool of black goo. 

She lowered her swords, and looked around. Awed faces met hers as she raised her sword victoriously to the sky. The crowd cheered, until Titus appeared next to her in the ring. 

“It is done!” He yelled, as Lexa lowered her sword. Suddenly becoming aware of her injuries. Pain shot through her chest and arm, looking down to find her entire right side of her body drenched in black blood. 

“The beast is defeated and all that is left is the final test. You have one hour to prepare, Lexa.” 

And with that they were escorted out of the ring where Lexa all but passed out into Anya’s arms. 

***  
  


It really was convenient that an entrance to the underworld was in LA. 

One hour passed quickly for Lexa. Anya and Indra spent most of the time quickly patching up her wounds, shoving some ambrosia into her hand, and trying to expel some last minute knowledge into the girl. And now she was walking down a steep path into the Underworld, trying not to stumble. The ambrosia helped her injuries, but the right side of her body was still in a constant ache. 

She pushed the pain quickly to the back of her mind though, the Commander would not let the pain stop her from her quest. 

Bathing in the River Styx. 

_ ‘Just jump in the River Styx and hope you survive! What a good plan!’ _ Lexa thought bitterly, wanting to cross her arms in slight frustration but didn’t want to aggravate her wounds. 

Only someone with the Commanders spirit could survive the process, but Lexa was determined to be the next. The Curse of Achilles is a Greek idea but being the Commander meant being able to use the enemy's strengths against them. Even if the Greeks no longer existed, the river stayed. Lexa scoffed under her breath, _ ha Greeks.  _

The path opened up into a large field, the river roaring across the middle of it. As she approached, a spectre appeared in front of her. A Greek, Lexa wasn’t surprised. He was tall and buff, with a cruel scarred face and closely shaved black hair. 

“I am Achilles, original bearer of the curse. Please do not do this, Roman.” He said in a deep ethereal voice, raising a hand up to try and stop her. 

“I am the future Commander,” Lexa started, taking a stance in front of the burly ghost. “This is my fate.” 

The ghost let out a cruel laugh, Lexa eyebrow raised at the spectacle. 

“I have seen many of your  _ ‘kind _ ’ try to obtain the curse, Nightblood. And all but few turned to ash in the waters. If you survive, your prowess in battle will be better than any mortals. But your weakness will increase as well. And if you lose sight of what keeps you tethered to the mortal world, you will end up just like the others.” 

Lexa straightens up, hand reaching to grasp onto the katana strapped to her side. “If that is what the Fates decide, then so be it.” 

Achilles sighed, staring down the smaller girl. Who only stared back, an emotionless mask placed on her face. 

“Fine. Then you need to focus on one vulnerable spot of your body that will be your tether, because no one can be completely invincible. Do not let go, even for a second. Find the one thing that keeps you tethered to this world and hold on. Don’t live to regret this, demi god.” And then the ghost is gone.

Lexa nods to no one, stepping up to the bank of the river. Watching the polluted water pass by quickly. She knew where her tether would be, small of her back. Her tether was her people. Her dedication to her people would always keep her tethered. Lexa knew this, with immense certainty but that didn’t make her less nervous. She slowly unstrapped her katana, laying it carefully on the ground, her arm acting up slightly at the movement. If she wasn’t going to make it out of this, she wasn’t condemning her sword to the same fate. 

 

The rushing water was...intimidating to say the least. It’s black water churned maliciously, daring her to jump in. Lexa closed her eyes and took a deep breath, centering her body and mind. 

“You can do this,” She said to no one but herself. “You’re the future Commander. This is your fate.” 

  
And with that, Lexa jumped. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part 1 down! I thought I was being rude by not posting anything for so long when I had most of this chapter already written. I wanted to post it all in one go but i've been distracted (ADHD is great guys.) So here's the first part.  
> Next chapter, a lot of stuff is going to get explained and i'm super excited for it. PLUS the reveal of the illusive prophecy about our girls.  
> Comments make me write faster because then I get an email and remember this story exists.   
> Till next time


	10. And The Flashback Ends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Part 2 of the 4 years later flashback

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When you finally update because its been a year since Lexa died and you're still upset about it  
> I barely even spellchecked on this, I just wanted it done. So here ya go.

The world was black, Lexa could feel her body tumbling down into the muck. She would have been concerned that she was being dragged deeper under the water; if it wasn’t for that fact that every part of her body was alight with pain. It felt like her body was being torn apart, scorched at a cellular level. The pain was overwhelming, taking over her every thought. 

 

Lexa was losing this fight, and she knew it. The dark haired warrior was lost in the pain, but before she could fall apart completely; a garbled shout cut through the haze and a foreign feeling of panic took over her. She didn’t understand where the sensation came from, because it was certainly not from her, but it was enough to snap her out of the rivers trap. 

 

_ ‘Focus!’ _ Lexa yelled to herself, ignoring the pain and focusing on the small of her back. Imagining a tether, her people holding onto the other side, pulling her back up. And Lexa felt a tug, pulling her back up to the surface. She got one hand out of the current, when a spirit passed by her in the water. Familiar dark skin and curled brown hair floated by her, brown eyes piercing her soul; making her gasp. 

_ ‘Costia’ _

Water flooded into her mouth, reminding her she was still underwater. Her hand still sticking out pathetically like a drowning swimmer waiting for the life guard. The spirit didn’t open its mouth but Lexa clearly heard her voice. A voice she hasn’t heard in years, a voice she missed desperately. 

_ ‘Stay with me, Lexa. It would be so much easier to just let go. Be with me, forever.’  _

Her eyes went wide, staring at the ghost. 

_ ‘She’s right.’   _ Lexa thought, the spirit's words slinking through her head like a disease. She could feel her body inching slowly back into the water. This was it, she was going to be with her love once again. 

But before her hand could slip back under the water, for the river to claim another soul, someone grabbed her hand and dragged her out onto the shore. 

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?!” An unfamiliar female voice shouted.

The girl dropped Lexa onto her hands and knees, who immediately started hacking. Her lungs trying to dispel the water out of them. Someone patted her on the back, trying to help. She didn’t know who was beside her but she seemed to be friendly. 

When Lexa finally got her breathing under control, she flipped her body so she could sit on the ground. Completely soaked from head to toe, Lexa looked like a wet raccoon. She self assessed her body. Her right side ached from the Minotaurs attacks and she felt the bandages sliding from her wounds in a wet heap. But she felt stronger, behind all the pain. Unfortunately, it seemed, that becoming invincible didn’t fix pre existing wounds. 

Completely forgetting about the girl next to her, Lexa visibly flinched when the stranger poked her in the cheek. Making her look over at the girl in shock. 

Green eyes met sky blue and the world seemed to stand still for a second. 

The girl before her seemed slightly younger than her, blonde hair a striking contrast to her dark clothing. She seemed at a loss for words, anger disappearing from her eyes to just slight awe. 

“Uh,” the blonde sputtered. Lexa being no better off at coming up with complete sentences. 

“Thanks for the save.” Lexa finally got out, not knowing what else to say. The blonde smiled slightly, nodding. “Anytime.” 

The blonde then stuck out her hand, “I’m Clarke.” 

The dark haired girl took the blonde's hand in hers, shivering slightly at the energy that passed between them. 

“Lexa.” 

 

And that’s the moment when Lexa’s exhaustion finally took over and everything went black. 

 

Clarke only just managed to catch the girl as her body tilted over, passed out. 

 

“Alrighty then,” Clarke said more to herself than anyone, because Lexa certainly wasn’t responding anytime soon. “What the hell am I supposed to do with you now?” 

 

*** 

 

“DAD!” 

 

Clarke’s voice rang across the hall, making Hades’ head snap up from his meeting with the Fates, quicker than Cerberuses’ would when someone said ‘food’. The young blonde was carrying, well carrying wasn’t really the correct word; More like dragging. Clarke was dragging a dark haired girl alongside her down the hall towards them. 

 

“And who is this?” The god asked, “I thought I told you no more kidnapping, Clarke!” He finished sarcastically. 

 

Clarke just glared up through blonde hair, clearly not in the mood for jokes. 

 

“This girl jumped into the Styx River!”  Clarke yelled, exasperated. The trip here with the dead weight of the girl really took it out of her. She really needed to work out more.  “And she’s all hurt, please help her.” 

 

But before Hades could move to help, the girl stirred. Her eyes blinking open slowly, painfully. Lexa looked around only to find unfamiliar surroundings, and that loud blonde girl from before. She didn’t feel unsafe in any way though, but she felt that was somehow from the girls presence than any sort of safe environment. 

 

“Where am I?” She asked, her voice gravelly from coughing up water earlier. 

 

“Oh! So now you wake up, huh?!” The blonde yells, clearly out of breath. “Where was your sudden awakening when we were making it up this hill?!” 

 

Lexa opened her mouth to defend herself, even though she was sure anything she said right now would not placate the angry blonde. But before she could get anything, some odd women on the other side of the room started making a commotion.  Cackling excitedly as their eyes locked onto the two. Approaching the girls quickly, circling around them like vultures. Wicked smiles slunk across their faces as they started to chant in unison, smoke ebbing from their bodies like an ominous fog. 

 

_ TWO OF ONE SOUL _

_ SHALL FACE THE GODS OF OLD  _

_ WHEN THE CORRUPT HAVE STOLEN THE PERCH _

_ FIGHT TO TAKE THE RUBBLE BACK _

_ WITH TWO ARMIES OF HALF  _

_ AND THE MOUNTAIN WILL MEET ITS MATCH  _

_ ONE WILL SACRIFICE THEIR LIFE  _

_ ONE THEIR SOUL  _

_ A DECISION THAT WILL TAKE ITS TOLL _

_ BUT CAN LOVE OVERCOME  _

_ THE RIFT BETWEEN DEATH AND BLOOD _

 

Then in a flash of light the women were gone, the smoke clearing instantly. Hades stood off to the side in shock and fear as the Fates just recited a decades old prophecy to his daughter. 

 

This was not good. 

 

…

  
  


The room was spinning, or maybe it was just the women spinning around her that were causing her sudden cause of dizziness. Either way, they were spewing some rhyming nonsense that Lexa certainly didn’t have the concentration to actually listen to; but would find out later that the words were carved inside her brain anyway. Jammed in there like a catchy song you just can’t get out of your head. 

But the thoughts were quickly driven away by a sudden flair in pain, her wounds fiercely wanting to be remembered. The pretty blonde stranger, Clark was saying something to someone but all the brunette could focus on was the strong arm around her waist. And then they were moving again. Moving down a hall and into a white room. (Even Hades couldn’t go against a white infirmary area, even if it was hardly used) 

It smelled of sterilization chemicals and rubber gloves, the brunette scrunched her nose at the scent. She hated infirmaries. 

Clarke moved her over to a bed, helping her into it as she finally regained some of her strength. 

_ ‘Becoming invincible really takes it out of you, apparently.‘  _ Lexa thought. 

“Take off your jacket and shirt.” Clarke said, bluntly. Lexa smirked, raising an eyebrow at the girl. The blonde looked away quickly, hiding a blush. “So I can check your wounds!” She said quickly, turning around in a huff to find bandages and ambrosia. 

Lexa carefully stripped of her wet jacket and shirt, careful not to reopen her wounds. Leaving her wet clothes in a heap on the floor. She sat in just her bindings, but felt no embarrassment. 

Clarke came back over, putting her supplies next to Lexa. The brunette watched as Clarke delicately removed the soiled bandages from her shoulder; revealing the nasty cut from earlier that day. Luckily, it had stopped bleeding.

The blonde gasped lightly, looking up to meet Lexa’s eyes. 

“How did this happen?”

“Minotaur.” Lexa stated simply. 

“Why in the hell were you fighting a Minotaur? Then decide to go down to the Underworld and jump in the damn River Styx? Were you trying to get yourself killed?” Clarke asked incredulously. Truly not understanding why anyone would put themselves through that. 

“It was part of my test to become Commander.” Lexa said. Looking to Clarke, expecting to find an understanding look on her face because everyone in New Rome knew of the tests to become Commander. But all she found was a look of confusion from the blonde. 

“The what?” She asked. 

“The Commander.”

“The Commander of what?” 

Lexa looked at the girl like she had grown 3 heads. 

“Clarke, I know I've never seen you around New Rome but, you clearly are a demigod. A child of Pluto at that. How do you not know of the Commander?” 

Clarke paused in her cleaning of the wound. 

“You’re a  _ Roman _ demigod?” She asked in disbelief. “Do those even exist?” 

“Clearly Clarke, one is sitting right in front of you.” Lexa commented, earning a scoff from the blonde before she sobered again.  

“But I’m a _ Greek  _ demigod. And don’t the Greeks and the Romans... hate each other?” 

Both girls looked at each other, mulling over the new facts. Lexa sat silently, before nodding solemnly. 

“They did. One of our rules at camp even is to ‘Never trust a Greek’” Clarke cringed as Lexa finished her sentence. Clarke moved to step away from the Roman, but Lexa stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. Their eyes meeting. “But I find no reason to hate you, Clarke.” 

Time felt like it stood still, electricity shooting between them from where they touched. 

“And I find no reason to hate you, Lexa.” Clarke said quietly, smiling slightly when Lexa did. The moment hanging between them as Clarke nodded and went back to her work. 

A comfortable silence fell upon the room as Clarke applied a salve to her wound and wrapped it up tightly.   

“So, where did you learn to do this?” Lexa asked curiously, the girl seemed young to be so knowledgeable in the healing arts. 

“My mom is a doctor.” Clarke said, “She made sure I knew how to wrap a wound before I could even ride a bike.” 

Lexa laughed, a clear twinkling sound that Clarke wouldn’t mind hearing more of. “She sounds fun.” 

A stormy expression crossed Clarke’s eyes before quickly changing the subject to avoid talking of her mother. Lexa noticed, but let it slide. Clarke handed her a piece of ambrosia, warning her to eat only a little then went about cleaning the infirmary of the bloody bandages. 

“You need to get some rest,” the blonde said, helping Lexa down from the table. Normally Lexa would protest, saying she didn’t need the sleep; but, she had a feeling that that argument wouldn’t work with the blonde. She just nodded, letting the blonde lead her out of the infirmary down another corridor to a door labeled, ‘Clarke’ 

 

The blonde pushed open the door, leading Lexa in. The room was painted a dark blue, art supplies scattered across a large desk. An easel with a half painted canvas sit in the corner. Clarke moved around the room with ease, grabbing Lexa a pair of sweats and a large t shirt from her emergency “random stay with dad” drawer. Hoping that they'll fit the older girl. Which Lexa accepted without question, the easiness of the situation not bothering her in the slightest. It felt right, her soul content as she watched Clarke move around the room. And Lexa certainly didn’t have the energy to fight it. Quickly shucking off her wet pants while Clarke’s back was turned, she pulled on the comfortable clothing. 

“You can rest here. You’ll be safe, don't worry. I have to go talk to my dad, so please, get some rest.” Clarke said, motioning to a bed behind her with black and blue sheets. 

At this point Lexa was too tired to even care, slowly climbing into bed. “Only one night,” She said, before quickly passing out into an exhausted slumber. 

Clarke watched her chest rise and fall slowly, feeling herself calm before shaking off the feeling and leaving the room to go have a fun conversation with her dad about a certain ‘Roman’ aspect of his life. 

 

***

Lexa slept for 4 whole days. 

Clarke thought she woke up a day in but all Lexa did was sit up, a blank look on her face, look around and then promptly pass back out. Clarke spent the days talking to her dad about the fact that a whole other kind of demigod existed and the Gods just told no one. Hades was...shocked, to say the least, that his daughter had found out about the Roman demigods but had her swear not to tell anyone else. Clarke begrudgingly agreed after hearing how serious his tone was. 

 

When Lexa finally awoke it was the afternoon of the fifth day. Clarke was sitting across from the bed, lightly sketching the sleeping woman. She would have found it creepy but something about this moment felt right to capture. And that’s when green eyes finally opened to the world again. 

Groggy and disoriented from that much sleep, the brunette rubbed her eyes and carefully surveyed the room before her eyes landed on the blonde. 

 

“Sleeping Beauty finally awakes,” Clarke said, carefully closing her sketchbook and putting it on the desk. 

“How long was I out?” Lexa asked, her throat sore from inuse. 

“Ah..about 4 days. 4 and a half maybe.” 

 

…

 

“WHAT?!” Lexa yelled, jumping out of bed before Clarke caught her when she tripped. Her legs groaning from lying in bed for that long. “Anya must think i’m dead. Oh, she’s gonna kill me. Indra too. Titus too! Oh, I’m so dead.” 

 

“Lexa, calm down!” Clarke yelled, pushing her back onto the bed as she continued to rant about people who were gonna kill her when she got back...Apparently it was a lot of people. 

“Look, Lexa. Your wound is almost healed. You’re okay to leave. Your swim in the Styx must of really took it out of you.” Clarke explained calmly, getting the girl to stop rambling about people she didn’t know. The brunette nodding along to the calm words. 

“You almost sounded like an actual teenager there, Lexa.” Clarke said jokingly, lightly nudging the other girl. The brunette scoffed and stood up. 

“As much as I enjoy your company, Clarke. I really think I have to go.” Lexa said, her face falling into the Commander’s stoic mask she’d been taught to up keep. Though it was hard for Clarke to take it seriously when the older girl’s stomach rumbled loudly. 

“How about something to eat first?” Clarke said, to which Lexa nodded. After grabbing a meal down in the kitchens (Ghosts were surprisingly good cooks), and grabbing Lexas’, now washed, clothes. The duo headed outside the castle, the transport waiting for them outside. 

 

They stopped a few feet from it and turned to one another. Lexa really did look like a strong leader in her full get up, eyes shining from being fully rested. 

 

“So,” Clarke said, shoving her hands in her pockets and kicking at the ground. “I guess this is it?” 

“I guess it is,” Lexa said, reluctantly. It felt like her body, or maybe her soul, were fighting her from leaving this girls presence. This girl who saved her life, who had the bluest eyes she’d ever seen and hair so blonde it shined like the sun. It felt… wrong to be leaving her side. She’d only known her for a few days but it just didn’t sit right with her. 

“Actually,” Lexa started, a sudden thought coming to mind. “Did you happen to grab my sword from the shore that day?” She was certain that she didn’t take it before she blacked out. 

A guilty looked passed the blonde's features, “You had a sword?” 

“So that’s a no then?” 

“I’ll have my dad’s people look for it, and get it back to you when they find it.” Clarke said, helpfully. (And it was helpful, because her sword showed up at Camp Jupiter not a week later. Although, the skeleton popping out of the ground did scare a few people. Bellamy actually shrieked like a little girl. It was quite amusing. But she got it back, nonetheless) 

“Thank you, Clarke. I would appreciate it.” The brunette nodded, smiling at the blonde. “Though, that does make my trip back a bit more dangerous.” 

Clarke looked worried for a moment before she seemed to decide something, and reached to her belt. Unstrapping the dagger at her waist, and handing it to the older girl. “Here, take this. Make sure to take good care of it. A friend gave this to me.” 

Lexa took the dagger from the blonde’s hands and unsheathed it. A basic dagger, crafted from some sort of bronze, (“Celestial bronze,” Clarke had said) a lion carved into the hilt. The brunette thought to maybe decline the gift, for it seemed to hold some sort of importance to the blonde; but the look on her face seemed like she wouldn’t take no for an answer. But she couldn’t leave with them at such an imbalance. First Clarke had saved her life, then gifted her with a cherished dagger. So she shucked off her jacket, and handed it to the girl. 

“This jacket has protected me in many battles, I hope it does the same for you. And I think it might look better on you.” Lexa smiled, Clarke smiling back. The two in there own little world. An energy buzzing between them.

The silence between them was broken when Clarke stuck out her hand, but instead of a shake, Lexa grabbed Clarke’s forearm. Giving it a tight squeeze. 

“I must go, my people need me.” the older girl said. “Thank you for everything, Clarke.” 

Clarke smiled, and nodded. “Anytime.” 

And with that, Lexa stepped into the transport. 

But before the doors could close, Clarke dashed forward. Placing on kiss on Lexa’s cheek, and whispering 

 

_ “May we meet again.”  _

 

Before stepping back and letting the doors close in front of her. Lexa stood there in shock, hand reaching up to touch her cheek. Still tingling from the kiss. A smile spreading across her face as the transport rode up into the world of the living. 

  
The two wouldn’t see each other in person for 4 years. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I suck at updating. I have no beta or anything to like..remind me to write so it just slips my mind for a while...   
> Anyway! I really didn't want to write this chapter. I think I wrote it like 3 times and scrapped it every time. I probably forgot some things I referenced in other chapters that happened during this but lets just pretend anything I forgot was spoken about while they were eating. Okay? Okay.   
> Now we can finally get back to present time and i'm so excited to write some of Raven and Anya's wit into seeing the two love birds reunite.   
> Come bug me at goddammitlexa.tumblr.com to keep writing because I will forget.


	11. Symbolon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> finally.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is very unedited, but it basically clexa and moving the plot along so lets hit it

“Clarke?” 

 

“Lexa?!” 

 

A beat passed before Clarke noticed she was still lying on top of the other girl and got up, helping the other girl to her feet. But they stayed close, eyes never breaking contact. 

 

The forest stood still, no one daring to move, besides Clarke, who slowly raised her hand to the dark haired woman’s face. Her thumb gently sliding across her cheekbone, checking to make sure she was actually real. That this was actually happening. 

 

Lexa stared at the woman in front of her, her eyes darting across her face trying to remember each detail of the blonde. Her touch was feather soft on her face, almost as if she thought if she pushed too hard, Lexa would disappear. 

 

_ “Holy shit,” _ Clarke whispered, more to herself than anyone in particular. “I thought i’d never see you again.” 

 

“And I, you.” Lexa said softly, before gently placing her hand over Clarke’s raised one. A comfortable silence passed between them, just reveling in each others presence. 

 

“You kept my dagger,” Clarke said, breaking eye contact to give the Commander a good once over. 

 

“And you kept my coat.” She says, smirking at the blonde. This conversation feeling like deja vu. 

 

“Of course I did, someone I care about gave it to me.” 

 

Lexa’s smirk turned into a toothy grin when she says, “She sounds amazing, will you introduce us sometime?” 

 

Clarke back pedals a bit, giving Lexa an inquiring look before asking; 

 

“So you had that-” 

“Yup.” 

 

“You were actually-?” 

 

“Seems so.” 

 

They both took a moment to digest this new information, sharing dreams didn’t seem like a possible thing. Well, it wouldn’t seem possible, if they both weren’t demi gods that is. This all seemed too unreal, but for the moment, neither of them seemed to care as matching grins spread across the two girls faces, as Clarke jumped into Lexa’s arms.

 

It felt like the world made sense again. Like a taut bowstring releasing; shot for a perfect bullseye. Like there was a part of themselves missing for the past 4 years, that has finally slotted itself into place. Clarke buries her head into Lexa's’ neck, breathing in the scent of leather and pine needles. A smell new to her, but so completely Lexa that it was immediately added to her favorites. Strong arms came around her waist, pulling them closer together. 

 

_ Honestly, _ Lexa thought to herself.  _ This should be crazy. I’ve been around this girl for less than a week in my entire life. (And most of that time, I was passed out!) But it feels like i’m meant to be here. Like my whole life has been leading up to this moment. That meeting in the Underworld was just a preamble to the main event.  _

 

Clarke, having the same thoughts, pulls back, looking up into the older woman's eyes. Green meet blue, and once again it felt like the sky was falling. Only for them. Their companions forgotten for the moment. The forest calm and still.

 

The only sound to break the silence was the burning husk of the mountain behind them, and a slight gasp from Octavia. 

 

A soft white light has surrounded the two women, unseen to them being too wrapped up in each other to notice. 

 

“ _ Symbolon _ ,” Octavia whispers under her breath, her suspicions from the alleyway being confirmed. An old greek phrase meaning, other half. Soulmate. The strings of Fate wrapped around them so tightly, that in any life, any universe, they would find each other. Eventually. One of the rarest forms of fate. It suddenly explains why, as Raven told her, they only met very briefly once; but after, they only had eyes for each other. 

 

Octavia moves to break the silence, ask how they had gotten so lucky as to find their other half. But Raven beat her to it. 

“Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.” Raven exclaims, waving her hands in front of her almost like she’s trying to dispel her confusion by force. The white light disappearing from around them from the intrusion.  “Lexa? You mean  **_THE_ ** Lexa?” 

 

Clarke turns, her arm slipping around Lexa’s waist, not willing to let go of her just yet. 

 

“This is her.” The blonde says, smiling happily at the brunette next to her. 

 

“And that’s Clarke?” Anya spoke, moving closer to the pair. There were two people with Lexa; Clarke finally noticed. A woman and a man. All of her attention before, on the Commander. The woman has impressively strong cheekbones and almost faded ombre hair. A good few inches taller than Clarke, and a sly smile on her lips almost as if she knew something you didn’t. 

 

“Yes, Anya.” Lexa said, nodding at her former mentor. 

 

“Huh,” Anya grunted, giving Clarke a quick sizing up. “I always knew you were a boobs girl, Lex.” 

 

“She better be.” Clarke quickly responded, looking down at her chest thoughtfully. 

 

Lexa sputtered, blushing to her ears, only for it to turn into a glare as Raven burst into laughter. 

 

“I like this one, Clarke.” She says in between laughs, pointing towards Anya. “Can we keep her?” 

 

Before Anya can respond, besides sending a smirk the mechanics way, the hulking man at the back of the group steps forward. The biggest out of the group, a shaved head with tattoos. But despite being the biggest, has a very kind glint in his eyes. 

 

“As much as I hate to break up this reunion,” he says, his voice deep and smooth. “Why are you all here? And why is that mountain now on fire?” 

 

“He’s right.” Lexa says, stepping away from Clarke.  _ (But only half an arms reach away because any further feels like it might make Clarke disappear, and be revealed that this was all some dream to torture her.)  _  Her Commanders mask falling back into place. She wants to be happy right now, ecstatic even, that Clarke is finally beside her again. But they have a mission, they have to focus. 

 

But it’s so hard. 

 

The smiles fall from the Greek demigods faces, each adopting a similar mask of seriousness. Clarke’s the most stoic, more used to hiding her emotions than most. Clearly the leader of the group. 

_ That’s my girl _ . Lexa thought proudly to herself. 

 

“Last week one of our campers went missing.” Clarke starts, voice steady. The blonde quickly explains everything that has happened in the past week. Only having to protect Octavia for a moment, while she explains about her heritage. Lexa trusted her judgement, Anya not so much. Anya also took note that Clarke was using the Greek names for the gods, but chose to bring it up later. 

 

“So.” Anya starts, after the long explanation. “A ghost told you, that a tree told her, that something bad was going down here and that it somehow connects with you and Lexa? All started because a camper got turned into some monster of sorts?” Disbelief in her voice, raising a questioning eyebrow at the three girls. 

 

Raven shrugged in response. “It sounds crazy, but when isn’t a demigods life crazy?” 

 

“When they’re smart and stay out of trouble.” Lincoln says jokingly, “But it seems none of us are very good at that.” 

They all shake their heads, no, they are not very good at that. 

 

“So, how did you guys end up here?” Octavia asks, her eyes landing on Lincoln who gives her a slight smile. 

 

“Lexa went bolting off into the forest because of a ‘feeling’ and we followed her.” He said, eyes never leaving Octavias. The half demon nods, symbolon were known to be able to sense one another's emotions if they’re strong enough. Clarke was probably feeling some intense fear, almost dying and all that. 

 

“300 of our warriors went missing around these parts, unexplained. So we were looking for them.” Lexa says cooly, ignoring Lincoln's comment, watching as Clarke cringes slightly. 

 

“We probably just found them in there.” The blonde says sadly. “They weren’t your men anymore.” 

 

Lexa sighs, mourning the loss of so many of her people to some unknown enemy. The sorrow does not show on her face, but Clarke can see it in her eyes. 

 

“We think someone is abducting demigods and experimenting on them with corrupted ambrosia.” Raven says, unsettled. 

 

“Which is somehow connected to an old god rising, a current god helping them, and they’re apparently fixated on Lexa and I, and our very old prophecy.” Clarke finished, trying to sound nonchalant but underneath it all is just confusion and fear. How do you fight an old god? How do you fight ANY god? 

Lexa nods, taking in all the new information they just learned. Her gaze meets Clarke’s, 

“So, we do this together.”  

 

Clarke nods back, eyes hardening with confidence. And smirks, 

“I didn’t think there was any other option.” 

 

“Come,” Lexa says, turning back towards where they came from. Her jacket swishing behind her dramatically.  “You’ll join us at our camp, and together we will figure out how to fight this threat.” And she walks off, the rest following behind her. Clarke moves to go walk besides Lexa, but Raven quickly pulls her back for a second. Putting out her hand, the mechanic whispers, “Good job Griff.”

 

“About what?” 

 

“The Commander. So hot, good job” 

 

Clarke slaps Ravens open hand, in a solemn low five, then switches to a fist bump. 

 

“I know, right?” 

 

Then the blonde scrambles forward to walk besides her long lost girl. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yo this is so late its not even funny. And im so sorry that its not as long as usual but I honestly need to do some research on my own damn story because I kinda forgot where I was going with it. Someone actually messaged me on tumblr and was like "please update please" so I thought id finish what I was writing before. I get distracted im sorry   
> Leave a comment or kudos or go bug me at goddammitlexa.tumblr.com to keep updating


End file.
